TRANSFORM YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY
LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE, CONNECT WITH YOUR VALUES, DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE

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All Posts | Meaning/Purpose | Resilience | Happiness | Mindfulness | Financial Psychology

AFFIRMATIONS: HELPING OTHERS FEEL MOTIVATED

Listening is powerful, but affirming strengths fuels growth. Help loved ones feel heard and motivated by recognizing what they do well.

LEAD WITH CURIOSITY

Curiosity deepens relationships. Instead of assuming, ask “I wonder why they think that?”—you might be surprised by what you learn!

UNDERSTANDING EMPATHY

Empathy isn’t about fixing—it’s about understanding. Step into your partner’s or child’s world to build trust and deeper connections.

NEVER STOP ASKING

Don’t stop learning! Embrace curiosity and lifelong learning to enrich your life, overcome challenges & unlock new opportunities.

ACCEPTANCE AND ACTION

Embrace life’s surprises—ditch the “but” and say “and, so.” Accept the unexpected and turn challenges into opportunities.

SAYING YES TO LIFE

Saying yes to life means embracing the unexpected. A “yes...and” mindset turns surprises into opportunities for growth.

THE POWER OF THE RIGHT QUESTION

We often hear that we should ask open-ended questions, but the truth is that both open and closed-ended questions are worthwhile.

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success."
-Buddha

RECENT MEANING/PURPOSE POSTS

FACING LIFE'S CHALLENGES

We all face challenges; they're guaranteed. There is a difference between setbacks and obstacles. It's helpful to understand the difference.

AMERICAN DREAM? OR YOUR DREAM?

Many of us learned some version of following the American Dream. While this may be a good starting point, it won't leave you satisfied.

MONEY IS A TOOL

It's common to view money as a goal. Money is worthless in and of itself, though. It's only a means to an end. Money is a tool you can use.

FINDING DIRECTION IN LIFE

Having goals, systems, or a purpose in life gives you direction. It gives you something meaningful to do with your time.

YOUR WHY HELPS WITH HOW

Having direction in life gives you clarity when life transitions knock us around because it helps us reorient to what's important.

"To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed, and I think you'll be happier for the trouble."
-Bill Watterson

RECENT RESILIENCE POSTS

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AFTER SETBACKS

Reframe setbacks by asking "What now?" instead of "Why?" Focus on what you can control to build resilience and move forward.

FINDING BETTER PROBLEMS

Life is an endless stream of problems, and wishing otherwise is another problem. Since they're guaranteed, we might as well find better ones

GROWING YOUR COMFORT ZONE

The old saying is that there's no growth in the comfort zone. Putting yourself out there is how you find opportunities to grow and thrive.

MONEY IS A TOOL

It's common to view money as a goal. Money is worthless in and of itself, though. It's only a means to an end. Money is a tool you can use.

UNDERSTANDING LIFE TRANSITIONS

There's an old saying that the only constant in life is change. How we handle change determines the quality of our lives.

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."
-Carl Rogers

RECENT HAPPINESS POSTS

GROWING YOUR COMFORT ZONE

The old saying is that there's no growth in the comfort zone. Putting yourself out there is how you find opportunities to grow and thrive.

AMERICAN DREAM? OR YOUR DREAM?

Many of us learned some version of following the American Dream. While this may be a good starting point, it won't leave you satisfied.

MONEY IS A TOOL

It's common to view money as a goal. Money is worthless in and of itself, though. It's only a means to an end. Money is a tool you can use.

UNDERSTANDING LIFE TRANSITIONS

There's an old saying that the only constant in life is change. How we handle change determines the quality of our lives.

SATISFACTION: LIVING YOUR VALUES

We feel a sense of satisfaction when we are living in alignment with what's most important to us. Thus, we need to know what's important.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."
-Steve Jobs

RECENT MINDFULNESS POSTS

ACCEPTANCE AND ACTION

Embrace life’s surprises—ditch the “but” and say “and, so.” Accept the unexpected and turn challenges into opportunities.

BEFRIENDING YOUR INNER VOICE

Many of us view our inner critic as something that has to be beaten or fought against. Recognizing that it wants what's best for you helps!

UNDERSTANDING LIFE TRANSITIONS

There's an old saying that the only constant in life is change. How we handle change determines the quality of our lives.

ENJOYING LIFE...WITH MUSIC

Here are poems and songs that get at similar things to what I write and draw about. Life is short. Enjoy it. Be grateful!

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU VALUE

Economists tell us that people are optimizing individuals. Yet, most people don't know what they are optimizing for. Mindfulness can help.

"He who has a 'why' to live can bear almost any 'how'."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

RECENT FINANCIAL PSYCHOLOGY POSTS

UNLEARNING YOURSELF

We often live by stories others tell about us. To find your true self, unlearn these narratives and nurture your authentic identity.

FACING LIFE'S CHALLENGES

We all face challenges; they're guaranteed. There is a difference between setbacks and obstacles. It's helpful to understand the difference.

WE CAN GET USED TO ANYTHING

We think getting what we want will make us happy, or losing something will make us sad. But we quickly adapt to our new situations in life.

MONEY IS A TOOL

It's common to view money as a goal. Money is worthless in and of itself, though. It's only a means to an end. Money is a tool you can use.

EXPLORING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY

If you are frustrated by not being able to change your financial habits, then it's time to explore your relationship with money.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hi, I'm

DEREK HAGEN

Every Thursday I send out the Meaningful Money Memo. I write (and draw) about topics such as the psychology of money, happiness, Money Scripts, financial purpose and clarity, and values-based life design.

Learn More

"There are only a handful of blogs that I read regularly and Money Health Weekly is one of them."

- NA

"This is such a wonderful newsletter!"

-LL

"I love Money Health Weekly. There are great posts every week. I love the drawings; they inspire me."

- DR

"I love Money Health Weekly. I always have someone in mind to share it with."

- EF

Get weekly notifications about new posts.

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Contact Derek

If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out. You can also schedule a phone call.

Contact Derek

TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE, CONNECT WITH YOUR VALUES, DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE

Featured On

Sign up now and join over 2,000 other people who get weekly updates

All Posts | Meaning/Purpose | Resilience | Happiness | Mindfulness | Financial Psychology

RECENT POSTS

AFFIRMATIONS: HELPING OTHERS FEEL MOTIVATED

LEAD WITH CURIOSITY

UNDERSTANDING EMPATHY

NEVER STOP ASKING

ACCEPTANCE AND ACTION

SAYING YES TO LIFE

THE POWER OF THE RIGHT QUESTION

ARCHIVE

CATEGORIES

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success." -Buddha

RECENT MEANING/PURPOSE POSTS

FACING LIFE'S CHALLENGES

AMERICAN DREAM? OR YOUR DREAM?

MONEY IS A TOOL

FINDING DIRECTION IN LIFE

YOUR WHY HELPS WITH HOW

"To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed, and I think you'll be happier for the trouble." -Bill Watterson

RECENT RESILIENCE POSTS

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AFTER SETBACKS

FINDING BETTER PROBLEMS

GROWING YOUR COMFORT ZONE

MONEY IS A TOOL

UNDERSTANDING LIFE TRANSITIONS

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change." -Carl Rogers

RECENT HAPPINESS POSTS

GROWING YOUR COMFORT ZONE

AMERICAN DREAM? OR YOUR DREAM?

MONEY IS A TOOL

UNDERSTANDING LIFE TRANSITIONS

SATISFACTION: LIVING YOUR VALUES

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." -Steve Jobs

RECENT MINDFULNESS POSTS

ACCEPTANCE AND ACTION

BEFRIENDING YOUR INNER VOICE

UNDERSTANDING LIFE TRANSITIONS

ENJOYING LIFE...WITH MUSIC

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU VALUE

"He who has a 'why' to live can bear almost any 'how'." -Friedrich Nietzsche

RECENT FINANCIAL PSYCHOLOGY POSTS

UNLEARNING YOURSELF

FACING LIFE'S CHALLENGES

WE CAN GET USED TO ANYTHING

MONEY IS A TOOL

EXPLORING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY

MEET THE AUTHOR

- NA

-LL

- DR

- EF

Contact Derek If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out. You can also schedule a phone call.

TRANSFORM YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY
LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE, CONNECT WITH YOUR VALUES, DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success."
-Buddha

"To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed, and I think you'll be happier for the trouble."
-Bill Watterson

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."
-Carl Rogers

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."
-Steve Jobs

"He who has a 'why' to live can bear almost any 'how'."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

Contact Derek

If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out. You can also schedule a phone call.