A few weeks ago, a 30 year old friend of mine asked me about my new apartment. I had moved in August, leaving one Queens neighborhood for another.

While asking about my roommates, room size, and building amenities, my friend also inquired about price.

I trepidatiously told her how much I pay in rent. I love my new apartment, but had to pay slightly more in rent than I used to pay, so was a little hesitant. Even though I still have a pretty good deal for NYC prices, my friend is from the midwest, and people from anywhere other than NYC and San Francisco usually go pale at the prices you can pay to rent even a room in the city.

After I told her, I inquired about her living situation and how much she paid in rent…or paid toward her mortgage. That’s when she leaned in and quietly told me that she’d actually already paid off her over $250,000 mortgage for her quite large condo. She told me in a humble way, but I still gasped. She works in the exact same industry as I do, and is also self-employed. She’s been doing what I do now for only a bit longer than me, but she still managed to pay off an entire home for herself.

I wasn’t even jealous- I was just amazed. I was amazed at what people can do with money when they put their minds to it. I was actually proud of her- it’s rare to hear something like that. I was humbled that she even told me about it.

Granted, living in New York City is expensive, and buying a condo I’d want to stay in would possibly cost me at least half a million. AT LEAST. (And I’m guessing…I haven’t even investigated prices). And granted, I’ve been paying off my exorbitant student loan for what seems like forever, so my money’s been going there, but still. She made me want to be even better with my money. It’s not all about how much money you make- it’s about what you do with it.

There are people all around me doing what I thought was unlikely or even impossible with money. They may be doing it quietly and staying under the radar- not bragging, just doing. It’s inspiring.

Sunflowers grow outside my new apartment in the summertime.