Your inner wealth: take the first step towards actualizing your dreams

Julie Murphy • June 8, 2011

What percentage of your time do you spend doing things you really love? If you’ve read my book or kept up regularly with this blog, you know that I believe that directing your attention away from money and towards your priorities, values and beliefs – your inner wealth – is crucial to freeing yourself of financial stresses. This week, I want to help you take steps towards living the life of your dreams – actualizing your inner wealth – each day.

Instead of just thinking about what you would do if you could get started, this week I want you to take that first step into living your ideal life. Here are four ways to make your move towards your goal.

Take – or teach – a class

Do you love painting and want to eventually open up your own gallery? Well maybe the first step is brushing up on those artistic chops by taking a painting class. Even if you think you don’t need one, the accountability of a structured schedule (like that in a classroom) forces you to be motivated and produce something regularly.

And, of course, you could always teach a class; instructing others is a great way to get a different perspective of the business you want to get into. It’ll also improve your craft.

Volunteer

If you love writing yet have no idea how to get published, why not start with doing a little pro bono work? Start out with writing member profiles for your church’s newsletter or doing an e-blast for the animal shelter where you walk dogs. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to try out your passion in no-pressure situations.

Talk to people

Every person I know successfully living the exact life they want has mentors and like-minded individuals to bounce ideas off of. Even I have a team of people around me helping me to achieve the goals I set out for. So make it a point this week to meet one person who can help you reach your destination, whether it be through encouragement, sound advice or networking. The idea of putting yourself out there may be a scary one, but this is necessary to realizing your dreams.

Try something new

Maybe you don’t know exactly what it is you want to do, but you know that you need to make some changes. Just pick an activity and give it a shot. You might like it, you might not. But you might meet someone in your fun new activity that can open a door to something you’d like to give a try.

The idea isn’t to take this “something new” and turn it into your new favorite hobby (though if that happens, great). I want you to start living your ideal right now, and trying out something new expands your social and professional network. Putting yourself out there is a great initial step towards your inner wealth.

Tags: inner wealth, living your ideal life, chasing your dreams, living your dreams, emotion behind money, advice from Julie Murphy, Chicago financial planner, Chicago finance expert

The post Your inner wealth: take the first step towards actualizing your dreams appeared first on Julie Murphy.

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The Life You're Waiting For Is Waiting for You to Wake Up

By Julie Murphy • August 4, 2026

What if nothing is wrong with your life? What if the frustration you feel... The anxiety around money... The constant striving... The feeling that something is missing... Isn't a sign that you're failing. What if it's simply your soul trying to wake you up? So many of us spend our lives searching for the next thing we believe will finally make us feel whole. More money. A different relationship. A better job. A healthier body. Another vacation. Another achievement. Another finish line. Yet somehow, after every accomplishment, that feeling quietly returns. "There has to be more than this." And there is. Not because your life is lacking. Because you've been taught to look for fulfillment in places it was never meant to come from. One of the greatest lessons I've learned is that life is always working for us, even when it doesn't feel like it. Every challenge... Every financial struggle... Every relationship... Every fear... Every success... They're all invitations. Not punishments. Invitations to become more aware. Because awareness changes everything. You can't transform a belief you don't know you're carrying. You can't heal a wound you refuse to acknowledge. You can't create a different future while living from yesterday's programming. This is why I don't believe true wealth begins with your bank account. It begins with your awareness. Money simply magnifies the relationship you already have with yourself. If you believe you're not enough... No amount of money will ever feel like enough. If you don't trust yourself... It won't matter how much financial security you create. You'll still feel uncertain. Real wealth isn't something we earn. It's something we uncover. It's been within us all along, buried beneath years of conditioning, fear, expectations, and stories that were never ours to begin with. When we begin clearing away those layers, something beautiful happens. We stop chasing. We start creating. We stop reacting. We begin choosing. We stop living from fear. We begin living from love. That's where abundance begins. Not outside of you. Inside of you. That's why I created the 21-Day Wake Up Wealth Challenge . Not to teach you how to make more money. Not to convince you that positive thinking changes everything. But to give you space. Space to slow down. Space to become aware. Space to notice the patterns you've been living from without even realizing it. Over the course of 21 days, you'll begin seeing yourself differently. You'll explore the beliefs shaping your financial life. You'll reconnect with your intuition. You'll learn how your emotions influence your decisions. Most importantly... You'll begin remembering that you already have everything within you to create a life that feels aligned, peaceful, and abundant. The challenge isn't about becoming someone new. It's about coming home to who you've always been. If your heart has been whispering that it's time for something different... Listen. It may be the beginning of everything. I'd love to walk this journey with you. Because your greatest investment has never been in the stock market. It's always been in yourself. And when you awaken that relationship... Everything else begins to change. With Love, Julie P.S. Sometimes the biggest transformation doesn't happen because life changes around us. It happens because we finally become aware of the life we've been creating, and realize we have the power to create something new. If you're ready, I'd love to have you join us for the 21-Day Wake Up Wealth Challenge.