There’s a difference between hoarding and stewarding—between holding on from fear and holding on with intention. I used to think that saving meant clutching everything tight, never spending, never enjoying. But that kind of grasping only creates anxiety. It whispers, What if you lose it all? What if there’s never enough?
But I’m learning to see my resources—money, time, energy—not as things to hoard, but as tools to care for myself and the life I’m building. Stewardship is thoughtful. It asks: What do I need today? What will I need tomorrow? What choices support the kind of life I want to live—not just in survival, but in peace and joy?
It’s not selfish to use what I have to rest, to grow, to heal. And it’s not wasteful to set something aside, trusting that my future self will be just as worthy of care as I am now. Stewarding is about respect—respecting my needs, my limits, and the life I’m shaping.
I don’t hoard out of fear. I care, plan, and choose with love.