Luxury, Indulgence, & Feeling Rich as Hell
One night, not so very many months ago, I was sipping wine on a rooftop patio in Spain with a beautiful man, watching the twinkle lights flicker and listening to the hum of people in the streets below while we snacked on gorgeous plates of tapas. It felt indulgent and dreamy and catch-my-breath perfect.
A few months later, I was in Mexico, barefoot (like half the time, anyways 😉) and sun-kissed, hopping onto the back of a friend’s scooter on my way to the beach. No fancy dinner, no five-star anything - just wind in my hair, the perfect sunset, and a feeling of absolute freedom.
And the thing that stands out to me, that connects these two moments?
In both of them, I felt rich as hell.
Neither more or less so.
Because real luxury isn’t about extravagance - it’s about presence. It’s about the moments that make you pause, breathe deeper, and think, I-can’t-believe-I-get-to-live-this-life.
It’s about the ability to hold it, who you’re sharing it with, how you feel about the moment.
Luxury is never going to be about price tags—not really, not truly. (Which is why some of the richest people in the world have the poorest mindset.)
Because at the end of the day, you can have all the money in the world, but if you don’t know how to appreciate it, you’re still gonna feel poor. Lacking.
Luxury, feeling rich, is about the meaning you assign to all of it.
And hey, I know what you’re thinking. “That’s great, Cynthia, but it’s easy to feel that way I when you’re travelling”.
But those were just the sexier stories to share. Because here are some of the other times I feel rich as hell in my simple, day-to-day life:
🍊 sitting on my little balcony every morning with nowhere else in the world to be (sometimes I can hear the sounds of the harbour and that gives me an extra “pinch me” thrill!)
🍊 heading into the forest on a random weekday afternoon
🍊 anytime my nephew runs to greet me with his arms held wide for the hug-and-lift he knows is coming
🍊 sitting on any of my bestie’s couches knowing I can say anything and I’m still safe and loved
🍊 hopping in my car and heading up the highway with my faves playlist, belting out tunes like I’ve got nowhere to be and nothing stopping me
🍊 anytime someone’s eyes light up when they see me (I mean! 🥹)
It’s not the five-star resort. It’s being fully in your body when you slip into clean sheets at the end of the day.
It’s not the fancy restaurant. It’s savoring the way your favorite meal makes you feel—nourished, cared for, alive—and hopefully, who you’re sharing it with.
It’s choosing to be in your life, not just moving through it on autopilot.
Presence turns ordinary moments into something sacred.
It’s what allows you to receive the life you’ve built, not just accomplish it.
It’s about not letting the “little things” get lost, become mundane, lose significance as life carries on and the once “big things” become increasingly normal.
When you stop waiting for big milestones or flashy rewards to feel good, and start finding richness in the now?
That’s luxury.
That’s wholeness.
That’s a life in full bloom.
What If Luxury Was a Feeling, Not a Thing?
We’ve been told that luxury is something we have to acquire. That it’s reserved for special occasions, far-off vacations, or perfectly curated experiences (🛥️💎🍾).
But I don’t buy it. To me, luxury is in the way we experience the world. It’s in how deeply we let ourselves feel the beauty of a moment, the richness of a connection, the indulgence of a shared experience.
Luxury isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we cultivate.
(Like joy, curiosity, intentionality…it’s all ours for the taking, because it comes from within.
Don’t believe me? Do you really think Manolo Blaniks are just inherently better quality than every shoe out there? Or is the association of the brand as luxury, the perspective, what makes them so?
Tell me why I've been singing “rich as hell” to Lizzo's “good as hell” since the minute I typed that phrase…😆
Luxury as a mindset means you’re not waiting for a special occasion to treat your life like it matters.
It’s not about indulgence—it’s about reverence.
(Funnily enough the word indulgence has come up on repeat with my clients…like do we need to reclaim the absolute JOY of that word?)
SO you know what?
SCRATCH THAT.
It IS about indulgence. We’re talking about riches here! It should feel indulgent! But we create indulgence through mindfulness, through reverence - by giving some weight to the things we’re doing and experiencing.
It’s about the way a moment makes you feel, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.
Luxury as a mindset isn’t about excess. It’s about honouring yourself in ways that feel nourishing. Spacious. Aligned.
It’s taking your desires seriously.
It’s surrounding yourself with what feels good, not just what’s practical.
It’s recognizing that ease, beauty, and joy are not frivolous - they’re fuel.
Because when you start treating your life like something sacred, something worth savouring…
You show up differently.
You move differently.
You choose differently.
And that’s where everything begins to shift.
This is not a manifesto to convince you not to care (or worry) about money. But is IS an invitation into exploring what moments can imbue your life with that feeling of richness, so that you can maintain it, no matter your current life circumstances.
Two Things to Try
1️⃣ Investigate Your Feelings
Think back to the last time you had that “I can’t-believe-this-is-my-life!” moment and think about everything that contributed to that feeling in the moment.
How can you use some of that information to consciously inform your choices and create more opportunities for that luxury feeling to creep in?
Can’t think of anything? Don't stress, you just need to work on your curiosity and your mindfulness, first. Start here.
2️⃣ Romanticize the Ordinary. Focus on Connection.
The more presence you bring to everyday moments, the more luxurious they become. Connection allows us to be exactly where we are, and to sink into the joy of a given moment.
Start by romanticizing simple moments in your day - like the smell of your fresh brewing coffee, buying flowers, getting in your car (another chance to sing!) to run errands…all of it. But for today, just find one.
I guarantee that you’re already rich. Even if you’re struggling with debt, even if you’re not where you thought you’d be in life, even if you’re stressed out because kids-work-money-parents-etc.
The richness is there, your work is just in uncovering it so that you can experience it.
Here’s to living fully - now pass me the champagne, will ya? 😉
Because luxury is a reality - but it’s the reality you assign to it.