Today we’re going to explore something you probably never expected to find after divorce: abundance. Not the kind with a big bank account. The kind that fills your soul.

You’ll hear about the shift that happens when you stop waiting for heaven and start creating it now. There’s a perspective change that transforms your ex from villain to… something surprising. And you’ll discover why one woman says she makes poverty look good and absolutely means it as a compliment.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between being financially wealthy and living a rich life
• Why your rich life might have nothing to do with your bank account
• What changes when you ask yourself one simple question every single day
• The identity shift that makes healthy habits actually stick
• How to know if something is worth the cost (hint: it’s not about the price tag)

Related Resources:

• Diana’s podcast, Renew Your Mind
• Jillian’s podcast, Hungry for Love
• Contact Julie at Money Made Simple: Julieers21@gmail.com
• Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence in their relationships, emotional management, decision making, and self-development. Join us for live classes, coaching, Bible study, and book studies every month. Plus access to a huge library of education and coaching resources. Only $59/month. 

Article: Living Your Rich Life

Who knew that you could get divorced and end up with an abundant life?

I’m serious. When you’re in the middle of leaving an unhealthy marriage, “abundance” is not on your bingo card. You’re thinking survival. Safety. Maybe, if you’re really optimistic, some semblance of stability down the road.

But a rich life? An abundant life? That feels like something for other people. People with better circumstances. People who didn’t have to start over with nothing.

And yet here’s what I’ve discovered, both in my own life and in the lives of hundreds of women in our Flying Free and Flying Higher communities: you absolutely can build a rich life after divorce. But it probably doesn’t look the way you think it does.

What Does “Rich” Actually Mean?

Let’s start with definitions, because words matter.

Rich doesn’t mean wealthy. Rich means abundant, full, plenty. When you talk about rich food, you’re talking about something full of flavor and texture. Something satisfying. Something that fills you up.

A rich life is a full life. A life where your needs are being met. Where you wake up and feel peace instead of dread. Where you have the freedom to be yourself without walking on eggshells. Where you can breathe.

And here’s the kicker: most of what makes life rich costs little to nothing.

One of my co-hosts, Diana, said something that hit me right in the chest: “The rich life is today. It’s never been tomorrow. Have you noticed that? It’s only today.”

Tomorrow never comes. It’s always today. So if you’re waiting for someday when things are better, when you have more money, when your kids are older, when you’ve paid off your debt…you’re missing it. The rich life is happening right now, in this moment, and you get to decide what that looks like.

Why Did You Have to Lose Everything to Find Abundance?

This is the irony that nobody prepared us for.

Many of us thought we had the abundant life when we were married. We had the house, the family, the church community, the appearance of having it all together. And yet we were dying inside. Our souls were anemic. Our nervous systems were in constant fight-or-flight. We were walking on eggshells, shrinking ourselves, losing pieces of who we were just to keep the peace.

And then we left. We lost the house, the community, the financial security, the life we thought we were building. And somewhere in the rubble, we found something we didn’t know we were missing: freedom.

Freedom to be yourself. Freedom to make choices based on what you actually want, not what keeps someone else calm. Freedom to build a life that reflects your values, your personality, your soul.

That’s abundance. That’s the rich life.

What Does a Rich Life Actually Look Like in Practice?

Here’s what I love about this question: the answers are as unique as the women living them.

For one woman, a rich life means annual vacations with her kids, but she’s learned that “vacation” doesn’t have to mean expensive flights and hotels. It means concentrated time together. So she alternates between travel years and staycation years, exploring festivals and activities in her own city.

For another, it’s the freedom to pursue her passion and build a business without someone feeling threatened by her success. It’s using her spiritual gifts to help others without needing permission.

For another, it’s standing at her cash register at work and choosing to be a source of peace and joy for every single person who comes through her line. It’s making poverty look good—and meaning it as the highest compliment.

For another, it’s sitting in her chair every morning with her tea and doing whatever she wants for thirty minutes. It’s playing the piano and singing songs she wrote. It’s getting a massage once a month because having someone help her body relax is worth it.

For me? It’s listening to music while I get ready in the morning. It’s answering questions in our private community forum. It’s watching a show with my daughter while we eat dinner. It’s working on a 1500-piece puzzle together for fifteen minutes before bed.

None of these things are expensive. None of them are Instagram-worthy. But all of them are deeply, richly satisfying.

How Do You Know What’s Worth It?

This is the question that changes everything: not “how much does this cost?” but “what is this worth to me?”

Some things are expensive but absolutely worth it because they align with what you value. I invest in my education because learning is important to me. I invest in working out because I want longevity with my kids and grandkids. I rent a cabin every year for my whole family because concentrated time together is a priority.

Other things are cheap but not worth it because they don’t serve you. Streaming services you never watch. Subscriptions you forgot about. Things you buy because you think you should want them.

The rich life isn’t about depriving yourself. It’s about being intentional. It’s about knowing what fills your soul and making space for that—even if other people think it’s weird.

What Question Changes Everything?

Diana shared something that’s become part of my own daily practice: “What do you need right now?”

Not “what do you think you should need.” Not “what would make you look productive or responsible or put-together.” 

What do you actually need in this moment?

Sometimes it’s just sitting at the piano and playing a song. Sometimes it’s finding your cat and petting her for a few minutes. Sometimes it’s getting in the car and driving on roads you’ve never been on before. Sometimes it’s sitting in your chair with your tea and doing absolutely nothing.

God made us to have needs. We wouldn’t need connection, touch, rest, beauty, movement, or fresh air if God didn’t design us that way. Meeting those needs isn’t selfish. It’s stewardship. It’s honoring the sacred creation you are.

Can You Really Have Abundance Now Instead of Waiting for Heaven?

One of my co-hosts said something that made me want to stand up and cheer: “I didn’t realize you could have an abundant life now. Not just when you go to heaven at the end of life, but now.”

Yes. This.

For so many of us, we were taught that the good life comes later. After we’ve suffered enough. After we’ve been selfless enough. After we die and get to heaven.

But what if Jesus meant it when he said he came to give us abundant life? What if that abundance is available right now, today, in the choices we make about how we spend our time and energy and attention?

What if the rich life isn’t about having more—it’s about recognizing what you already have and choosing to savor it?

How Do You Start Building Your Rich Life Today?

Start simple. Start small. Start with what’s already in front of you.

What five things do you do on an average day that make you think, “Yeah, this is good”? That’s your rich life. Those moments are the abundance you’re building.

Maybe it’s your morning coffee ritual. Maybe it’s the walk you take. Maybe it’s the conversation you have with your kid on the drive home from school. Maybe it’s the show you watch before bed. Maybe it’s the way you’ve learned to treat yourself with kindness instead of criticism.

Whatever it is, notice it. Name it. Claim it as part of your rich life.

Because here’s what I know for sure: the worst thing you’ve ever done—leaving that marriage, rebuilding from nothing—has given you access to the best thing you never expected. An abundant life. A rich life. A life that’s actually yours.

And that, sweet friends, is worth more than all the money in the world.

If you want support as you’re building your rich life, come join us in Flying Higher. It’s a community of divorced Christian women who are creating abundance together—not someday, but today.

XOXO,
Natalie