Becoming a parent changes everything, including your financial identity. This personal story explores how the birth of a child is also the birth of a new self, forcing a profound alignment between your money and your deepest family values. Learn why intentional trade-offs create a peace that numbers alone never could.

Our earliest money lessons shape our entire lives. This is a personal story of a family heirloom, a pawn shop in 1990s Russia, and the first real lesson on the cost of money over time. A reflection on financial resilience, self-reliance, and how our past forms the foundation for our future.