“You have my permission.”

That’s what I want to tell so many people.

You have my permission to travel business class.

You have my permission to buy that car you love.

You have my permission to drink that Starbucks latte without guilt.

You have my permission to spend—not to impress others, not to chase status, but to honor what’s truly important to you.

Yes, Narayana Murthy travels in economy.

Yes, Warren Buffett still lives in the same house he bought decades ago.

Yes, Azim Premji is famously frugal.

That’s amazing. That’s admirable. That’s their choice.

But you are not Narayana Murthy.

You are not Warren Buffett.

You are you.

And your life, your story, your values, your money philosophy—they matter.

You don’t need to mimic other people’s money values to prove anything to anyone.

The most important question you can ask is this:

What’s important to me about money?

That question changes everything.

Because money is personal.

Deeply personal.

It’s not about formulas.

It’s not about rules.

It’s about fit.

I, for example, may never want to splurge on a massive house.

It doesn’t excite me.

But I’m happy to spend on a luxury car—because I enjoy the experience, the comfort, the beauty of design, the drive.

Someone else might do the exact opposite.

And both of us would be right.

Because both are acting in alignment with what matters to them.

That’s the only benchmark that counts.

Not society.

Not social media.

Not some investor profile in a business magazine.

But you.

I meet investors often who feel guilty for spending on themselves.

They’ve saved all their lives.

They’ve invested wisely.

They have no loans.

They’ve done everything “right.”

But when it’s time to enjoy—even a little—they hesitate.

A vacation feels like an indulgence.

A new phone feels like an extravagance.

Even upgrading a mattress feels unnecessary.

Why?

Because they are comparing themselves to someone else’s invisible rules.

Because someone once told them that spending is bad.

Because they read a story about a billionaire who still uses a flip phone.

And suddenly, they feel judged.

But here’s the thing.

Money is not a competition.

It’s a reflection of what you value.

Let me give you a simple example.

Let’s say you value freedom above all else.

Then why wouldn’t you spend to buy back your time?

Why wouldn’t you outsource what you hate doing?

Why wouldn’t you invest in convenience, if it frees up energy for what you truly love?

Or maybe your core value is experience.

Then it makes sense to spend on travel, on concerts, on fine dining.

That’s not being frivolous.

That’s being aligned.

That’s being intentional.

Or maybe you value security.

You want a strong financial buffer.

You want a paid-off home.

You want multiple income streams.

Great.

Then build that.

But once that’s in place—once your base is solid—allow yourself to enjoy.

Allow yourself to live.

Because here’s a little secret.

Frugality is not a virtue when it turns into fear.

Saving is not noble when it turns into scarcity.

And wealth is not meaningful when it becomes a prison.

You’re not here to win the badge of “Most Unspent Money.”

You’re here to build a life.

So, stop benchmarking your spending to what Warren Buffett does.

He’s 93.

He’s a billionaire.

He’s also someone who reads five hours a day and eats McDonald’s.

That’s his thing.

Let him be.

Azim Premji gave away billions.

But his relationship with money was forged in a different time, under different circumstances, with different goals.

Respect that.

But don’t assume you must follow it.

What you need is clarity.

Clarity about your own values.

Clarity about what brings you peace.

Clarity about what a rich life looks like—for you.

That’s what financial life planning should be about.

Not just growing your wealth.

But growing your self-awareness.

Not just creating a corpus.

But creating confidence.

And not just accumulating.

But allocating—with purpose.

Let me say it again.

You have my permission.

To buy what you love.

To upgrade your flight.

To celebrate your wins.

To invest in yourself.

To live the life you’ve imagined—not the life someone else says you should be living.

But—and this is key—do it from a place of clarity, not impulse.

This is not a call for reckless spending.

This is a call for conscious spending.

Spending that’s rooted in values.

Not validation.

Because when you spend from your center, you don’t regret.

You don’t feel guilt.

You feel joy.

You feel alignment.

You feel free.

So, ask yourself:

What matters more to me—saving an extra Rs.5 lakh or taking my parents on the trip they’ve always dreamed of?

What will I remember more—another 1% in my portfolio, or seeing my child’s eyes light up at Disneyland?

What will bring me more peace—driving the same car for 15 years, or finally getting the one I’ve always admired?

These are not financial decisions.

They are life decisions.

And money is just the tool.

The purpose of your money is not to simply grow.

It is to serve.

To serve your life.

Your relationships.

Your dreams.

Your sense of meaning.

So don’t just ask:

How much should I save?

Also ask:

What am I saving for?

When will I know it’s time to stop deferring and start living?

What is enough for me?

Because here’s what I know for sure.

If you don’t answer those questions, someone else will.

And that someone might be the media.

Or your peer group.

Or a newsletter.

Or your fears.

And that’s no way to live.

So today, I invite you to pause.

Reflect.

And maybe even give yourself permission.

To enjoy.

To express.

To feel free.

To trust yourself.

Because the richest people are not the ones who defer forever.

They are the ones who know when to defer—and when to live.

They are the ones who use money—not to impress, but to express.

They are the ones who are wealthy not just in net worth—but in peace.

In joy.

In presence.

That’s true wealth.

And that’s what I wish for you.

So go ahead.

Book the ticket.

Drink the latte.

Buy the car.

But do it because it matters to you.

Not because someone else said it’s okay.

But because you finally gave yourself permission.

Live HappyRich®.