Melbourne-based indie magazine, Fashion Journal published a piece this week asking people in a 10am Pilates class what they did for work. It was a topic that resonated. And one I’ve been thinking about a lot across the past few months. That, in today’s world, attending a mid-morning mid-week Pilates class is the new height of luxury.

The barometer of luxury and wealth in society is forever changing. As gen Z and increasingly millennials become ever more disillusioned with the ‘corporate grind’ leading to a life of upward mobility, freedom and financial success, the very notion of what it means to be truly ‘wealthy’ is being turned on its head.

For many, ‘wealthy’ only incorporated financial status. Today, it appears to encompass something far more precious and elusive – the resource of time. I think that’s why the piece struck a nerve.

What was once considered aspirational (the traditional 9-5 with a stable income, security and a clear career progression) has long been becoming less and less so. It seems more and more are happily trading it in for a job with more freedom, less stress, and very likely, less money.

This has been reflected in the conversations I’ve been having with the people around me. A friend’s boyfriend has left his high-pressure corporate job to work at a café. An acquaintance has quit her lucrative law job to rest, hit pause and consider what she really wants out of life. Another gave up her intense advertising career for a job at Bunnings. To quote her, she’s ‘never been happier’.

Sitting in my local café at 11am on a Friday morning, drinking coffee, people-watching, and chatting with my boyfriend, I completely understand why. On those Friday mornings, I often felt like the wealthiest woman in the world. So abundant with time, joy and peace; it’s a state that feels far more luxurious than any luxury item could ever bring.

I find it intriguing and absolutely amazing that ‘aspirational’ is seemingly no longer the stressed executive with the luxury items in tow. Today, it’s increasingly the peaceful store clerk, the calm bookshop attendant, and the barrister who can, on their days off, attend a mid-morning pilates class.

Originally published 24 November 2024.

Original piece can be read here.

Image sourced from Pinterest.