Money. We all work hard for it, we all need it and we all want it. But so rarely do we share our experiences with money — how we spend it, how we save it, how we overcome debt and use those dollar bills to accomplish our big dreams. On Monday night, that changed. I sponsored a Lean In Canada event where over 100 ambitious women gathered for a financial empowerment workshop where we talked about the connection between wealth and happiness. As the co-founder of Lean In Canada, I’m a strong proponent of empowering women, whether through career progression or home ownership — and this event touched on both topics. We had the privilege of listening to an animated (and refreshingly honest) discussion between Melissa Leong, the author of the award-winning finance guide Happy Go Money and Angie Seth, an anchor and reporter for CTV News.

What does it mean to be financially empowered? Women often take care of everybody else and we often put ourselves last on the list. But what Melissa emphasized is that you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of other people. Financial empowerment is one of the most important tools to get there. “It’s about realizing you already have the power,” says Melissa. “No one gave you the power. You already have the car, you’ve got the gas, you’ve got the lights. I might hand you a roadmap — but you’re doing the driving.”

This really resonated with me. As a realtor who specializes in working with women, it’s thrilling to guide women through the homebuying process. But I’m the passenger, helping you through the journey. You’re the driver. And it’s my job to cheer you on, help you assess when you’re ready and find exactly what you’re looking for. But my clients are the ones who are making it happen. In 2004, I sold my condo and took a big leap to purchase a detached home in Toronto’s west end neighbourhood. I was scared and stretched my budget to the max — and today I can confidently say it’s the best financial decision I’ve ever made. Helping women achieve the same financial freedom through real estate is why I do what I do.

Everyone in the audience got a copy of Melissa’s new book Happy Go Money, a feel-good finance guide — and yes, it is possible to feel good about your finances. In it, Melissa emphasizes that money is a tool, and when you spend it on things that matter to you, you will live a life that aligns with your values. For me, that was buying property. For others, it might be starting a business, saving for a downpayment or travelling the world. Melissa shared practical tools to help the audience get there, through saving, budgeting and investing. She gave tips like automating contributions to your TFSA each month (“pay yourself first,” she says), killing high-interest debts first like credit card bills and investing as early as you can because all it takes is time to turn a little bit of money into a large amount of money.

Melissa said personal finance is all about personal choices and I couldn’t agree more. It was inspiring to hear from the diverse women in the group about their struggles and triumphs and I’m looking forward to keeping the conversation around wealth and happiness going.