Many people are trying to build a life that looks successful, hoping it will eventually make them feel free and fulfilled. We chase financial security, status, and approval, believing that once we have enough, happiness will follow.
Let me start by saying this clearly. I am not wealthy.
I am in the process of building a business with multiple income streams, learning how to grow sustainably and with integrity. What I share here comes not from certainty, but from lived experience within the tension between money, freedom, identity, and self worth.
Over the years, I have learned that what we believe will give us freedom can quietly become the very thing that traps us. And that realisation led me to ask a difficult question.
Are you building a life that looks good but betrays who you are?
When I was sixteen, I could no longer attend the after-school program I loved. It helped me stay ahead at school and gave me confidence. Losing that opportunity made me believe that freedom meant money. If I had enough, I thought, I would have choices. Years later, I moved to Australia with three thousand dollars. That was everything I had. I saved it in five months through regular work that did not pay much. Looking back, freedom at that time was not money. I had very little, yet I moved forward. Freedom then became the courage to act despite fear.
I lived for a long time in a state of shortage, not always in reality, but in my mind. Even when I was making money, fear still controlled my decisions. I wanted braces for years, yet I kept telling myself I could not afford them, afraid I would not be able to pay them back. Later, I started my business and was fortunate to earn a decent income through my work. One night, I was still working at eleven pm. That was when another realisation arrived. Freedom is not simply about money. We often believe we need to become wealthy to discover whether money will bring happiness. In reality, we only need enough to notice that a little more does not suddenly make us free.
Over time, I began to notice how much energy people spend protecting their image. Worrying about how they are perceived, measured, or ranked. Some put others down to feel superior. Some exclude others to feel important. Some bend the truth to protect their ego. Without basic needs being met, freedom can be limited. Financial stability matters. But money alone will never create freedom if it traps us in constant comparison or fear of being exposed. If you must keep proving who you are, then the life that looks good may already be costing you more than you realise. I am still learning how to build my business and bring in more income. I want to develop work that requires more investment than I was once used to. Building this fulfils me. And without sustainable income, I would not be able to help more people or expand this work in meaningful ways.
At the same time, I have learned to pause and ask myself an honest question. Am I trying to use material things to fill something inside me? Am I trying to buy the freedom I say I value? We often look at people who live wealthy lives and assume that what they have must be what makes them happy. What we do not always realise is that money is often the byproduct of pursuing a life that fulfils us, not the other way around.
True freedom, as I understand it now, is quieter than we expect.
It is the courage to act.
The courage to receive.
And the courage to let go.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Please scroll to the bottom of the page to leave a comment. I will reply to you personally.
About the author
I’m Chi Chi Wang, helping capable people remove appearance-based barriers that stop them from being visible, decisive, and living purposefully.
Thank you for reading. If this reflection spoke to you, I invite you to explore more articles, each one is written to help you build confidence, self-worth, and a healthier body image.
📖 My book From Ugly to Beautiful Without Surgery is now available, created from over ten years of exploration into what true beauty really means.
💡 If you’re ready to go deeper, C.C.Within offers workshops, talks, and coaching programs designed to help you rebuild self-trust and live with purpose.
The C.C.WITHIN™ Model is my original framework for building undeniable confidence without changing your appearance. First introduced in 2025.
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