Diamonds Sparkle. Dividends Compound.

NYC last summer

I remember when I first got engaged.

I loved looking at my diamond ring

Two carats. Clear. Beautiful. I felt lucky.

I had just started my career on Wall Street, riding the subway every morning as my boss did. 

After getting married, having babies, a nanny, and a wonderful husband, my career took off. 

But something funny happened one morning on the subway.

I looked down at my ring and thought:

Maybe I deserve a bigger one.

Around me was the wealth of New York—private drivers, bigger apartments, flashier jewelry. My new boss had a car service - he didn't take the subway. 

Six months later, I left the job.

I was exhausted. Burned out. Overworked and down to 98 pounds.

And looking back, I realize something important about that moment on the subway.

- It wasn’t really about the ring.

- It was about comparison.

New York has a way of quietly moving the goalposts. 

What once felt like abundance suddenly feels small when you’re surrounded by bigger, shinier things.

Thankfully, I never upgraded the ring.

Because over time I learned something better.

Diamonds may sparkle…

But they don’t pay dividends.

The real sparkle in life turned out to be something different:

Doing work I love:

- Helping people build financial confidence

- Investing patiently in the stock market

- Creating a plan that leads to freedom

The older I get, the more I realize:

The goal isn’t to collect shinier objects.

The goal is to build a life that shines on its own. 

What makes you sparkle?

Tiffany Kent

Your Friendly Wealth Engagement Guide

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