Wealth doesn't start with money, but the quality of our decisions.

For Christmas in 2018, I unwrapped a big, flat box that my then-boyfriend, Cameron, had lugged into my parents’ home. Just a few weeks prior, I’d started my YouTube channel, which at the time had only wrangled a few hundred subscribers. I was so excited and told Cam that my goal was to hit 50k subscribers in one year. He actually… believed me. I dusted off my Canon T6i from college and a cheap tripod that I stole from my dad. Making it work and growing a few subscribers a day, the only thing I was missing was lighting. I was stuck having to record during daylight hours or else my videos would be too dark.

He saved the big flat box for me to open last. A ring light. I don’t think it cost more than $50, but to me, it meant everything. It meant he was invested in my goals, even without fully understanding the outcome. Seven Christmases later, choosing Cameron to do life with was the best decision I’ve ever made… a decision that has already made my life so much richer.

Being a good decision-maker is a skill. I truly believe that people who are better at making choices have better lives… because it’s hard to make good big decisions when you suck at making the small ones. We spend all day making tiny decisions: to snooze or not? What should I eat for breakfast? Should I work out? Should I ‘like’ this post? What am I gonna wear? What needs to get done today? Should I answer this call? What’s for dinner? Which show should I watch?

Honestly, I wouldn’t consider myself the most decisive person. In fact, if I see shrimp Alfredo or a lobster roll on the same menu, I’m very much stuck (because actually, I’ll just take both).

But what I’ve always been very clear on is my values and understanding how they shape my decisions.

That level of clarity comes from something most of us overlook:

Looking back, it wasn’t the ring light itself that moved me. It was what it represented. Support, belief, partnership, and someone who didn’t need proof to invest in my potential. That’s why, when it came to choosing Cameron, I didn’t need to overanalyze. It just felt true.

And that’s the part of decision-making we should talk about more.

We assume wealth starts with the money we make, the opportunities we land, or the doors that open for us. But wealth starts much earlier than that. It begins with the quality of our decisions. The small, subtle ones that don’t look life-changing in the moment but compound over time. How we spend our time. How we let people treat us. How we treat ourselves. What we eat. What we say. Who we love.

The version of decision-making that I’m working on is to fulfill the promises I’ve made to myself.
To lean into the scary things because they’re always the things that change my life.
To stop pressing the dang snooze button. To scroll less and be more present.
To not let flashy outcomes dictate my ability to make sound decisions.

Better decisions create a better, wealthier life… financially, emotionally, creatively, spiritually.

xx

Erin