The other day I was listening to an episode of Mel Robbins’ podcast, where she was in conversation with Morgan Housel, a financial expert. During the dialogue, Housel said something that stopped me in my tracks: “Independence is the flex.”
Then he went on — and I tried my best to catch it correctly: “Wealthy is independence. It’s money in the bank that you’re not spending. It’s things you haven’t purchased. It’s investments that are just sitting there but they’re giving me independence. They’re giving me financial independence and psychological independence, where you can live your life your way, without chasing what you think other people want from you.”
He explained that financial independence exists on a spectrum; it’s not black or white. And that hit me hard.
You may ask, why am I talking about finances? Here’s my truth…
In my teens, when I wanted everything and nothing all at once — with that rebellious sense that the world was in the palm of my hand — I believed that to be successful, I needed independence. For me, that meant moving out, having my own house, my own car, all the things.
As I moved into adulthood, that idea of independence started to change. Inflation, recessions, markets going up and down. All of it impacted me. And even though I survived it, I blamed the outcome of my decisions — business, personal, or professional — on my “poor relationship with money”.
Then I heard Housel’s words, and I realized that I was seeing this whole thing incorrectly. It’s much more than that. My relationship with money doesn’t just depend on financial choices. It depends on psychological independence, just like he said. But I need to add that it also depends on physical independence. And here’s where I shift these words through the lens of health.
Health is also independence.
It’s exhaling when things get hard.
It’s embracing who you are, as you are.
It’s refusing to compare yourself to how others think you should look.
It’s nourishing and moving your body for you.
It’s being patient with yourself when you have a setback.
It’s breaking patterns that keep you stuck.
It’s observing your emotions without judgment and choosing a kinder response for yourself, not for others.
It’s creating awareness.
It’s learning to manage your stress with compassion.
It’s loving yourself enough to make decisions that serve you.
It’s simply more than just health goals.
Health also exists on a spectrum. It’s never black and white. And it should flex — to fit your busy days, to serve your purpose, to work for you.
That’s true independence.
The kind you seek every day in small actions filled with intention.
The kind that keeps you in the present, not stuck in the past and not hesitating on chasing the future.
The kind that builds resilience when things get hard.
The kind that lets you build strength and create a healthier life.
The kind that empowers you to make that meaningful connection that stress relief, nutrition, movement, and recovery offer to your nervous system and your body when they work together, not separately.
So you see, it doesn’t just apply to money. It applies to health, and to everything in your life. Because without it, everything else falls apart. And with it, you’ll have the independence to build strength, resilience, and a healthier life.
It’s how I realized that when it comes to health, independence is the goal, not the outcome.
To your good health,
