𝑾ʜᴀᴛ'𝒔 ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ғʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ?

Freedom is called a natural right. We are entitled to “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” as the Declaration of Independence states.

Do you feel constrained by the life you are living?

Yes, you fulfill the terms of your work agreement. Financial responsibilities of family and home are a normal part of maturity. Future financial needs of college and retirement are a part of every paycheck.

These financial responsibilities are conventional to some extent in every culture. Although in some cultures retirement is managed within families where the old ones live with the younger ones.

The question is how can you manage your responsibilities without feeling trapped?

What we usually do is increase our lifestyle as our income increases. For example, after college, we get a $100K a year job and create a $100K lifestyle. Ten years later we get a great new job making $200K a year, immediately buy a house or a bigger one, buy a car, go on vacation, and maybe pay off all credit card debt. Ten years after that, ditto. Now we make $300K a year and everything steps up. You move into a more expensive home, car, and lifestyle.

Is there enough money to live an ever-increasing lifestyle? I've met multi-millionaires whose income is insufficient to cover their monthly commitments.

The only way I've ever seen this lifestyle merry-go-round stop is by running into financial distress and filing bankruptcy or by an epiphany. The epiphany is better in the short and long run. Bankruptcy is a financial strategy that will haunt you for a decade. If you think about it, it’s the opposite of financial freedom. You get into credit jail.

I think the financial answer is to design your life around a fraction of your income. Don't we hate fractions? Who tells you to use 100+% of your paycheck? Truthfully, you choose to do so.

Simple and easy are not the same.

It’s simple to say, ‘Live on 60% of your income,’ and have you ever tried it? It’s simple but not easy.

I tried it and failed more than once. Yes, it's possible. If I can, you can. The least painful way to arrive is to take every raise and apply it to the formula. Over time, you will arrive.

Read The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason. It reveals the formula for wealth-building. Give 10%, Pay off debt 30%, and live on 60%. It's simple but not easy. One way a financial coach can support your decisions—with accountability.

When you become a wiser money manager, you have more choices as you face change. It's one definition of freedom. You don't have to decide based on money. You can decide based on contribution, improving quality of life, or pursuit of happiness. 

The emotional answer to what’s the big deal about freedom encompasses the idea of aliveness.

Awake and aware are two qualities that embody aliveness. Aliveness is essential for the pursuit of happiness.

Fear kills your joy faster than cancer. Financial stress and anxiety can also lead to diseases that kill your body.

Suppose you realize that your house payment is too much for your income stream. For example, you and your partner must work full time to afford it. Maybe it's time to re-assess options. A part of being self-governing is the freedom to choose to act, to change. Possibilities are:

·      Sell and move to a cheaper home even if you relocate

·      Divide the house and rent part of it either monthly or via Airbnb

·      Rent part for corporate offsite meetings, if suitable

·      Rent your yard by the hour for dog play

I'm talking about using your home as an income-generating asset until the mortgage is paid off.

After divorce, a client ended up with a house she couldn't afford. It wasn't a good time to sell in the housing market. We brainstormed. She designed two Airbnb rooms that generated enough to cover the house payments. In five years, she sold the house and moved to a smaller one. She made enough money to enjoy a pleasurable retirement. If she had sold out of panic, she would have been stuck working for her lifetime.

There are times when the feeling of being cornered amplifies fear into a panic. Panic decisions are not beneficial in the long run.

The physical answer to what’s the big deal about freedom is you can live longer without pain. Do you know you can go through your entire life, birth to death, without pain, if you know how? Well, childbirth is painful, yes. But much of our pain happens because we look at our parents and grandparents as they age and assume our physical life story will be the same. It will if you let it.

Twelfth-century mystic, Hildegard of Bingen, affirms our likeness in nature. Our body is a garden. We plant seeds of good plants, take out the weeds, bring water, and absorb the sunshine. We can discover and live healthier practices.

"With nature's help, humankind can set into creation all that is necessary and life-sustaining." – Hildegard of Bingen.

I knew someone who complained about a hip problem for many years. She’d say, “It’s inherited. My mom, aunt, sister, etc, all had to have a hip replaced. My knee hurts too but the doctors are stupid and say I have to lose a hundred pounds before I get a new hip.” Hmm. She didn’t want to see that her 150 extra pounds were causing hip and knee problems.

We know about being mindful. Choosing mindfulness is also a choice toward freedom. When we are daily aware of our body, mind, and soul we can take steps to avoid dis-ease. When we live in mental chaos, all hell can break loose. And does.

What’s the big deal about freedom? I am grateful for the freedoms I've lived.

The county library was 100% available and uncensored. My parents supported me when at age 19 I wanted to travel to Africa alone. My choice of spouse was multi-cultural, Greek, raised in Africa, and fluent in six languages. (I only mastered French.)

My college education was interrupted for four years while I was in Africa. I had the freedom to return and take it up again. After earning my MBA, I had the freedom from work while I hunted for my calling. My calling is financial planning, and I had the freedom to choose between eleven companies.

As an independent contractor, I had the freedom to set my calendar for the year. Travel is always the first thing booked. (I don't know about you but working to pay bills is not motivational.)

When it was time for a baby, I faced infertility for 13 years (and prayed.) At the age of 42, the OBGYN put me on bed rest for the duration of a hopefully successful pregnancy, for six months. I was financially able to continue my business while incubating a baby. I put it all into God's hands. It is freedom.

In 2003, we bought an unrelated business, a 163-acre, nature preserve and run-down RV park in the mountains. We invested our money, blood, sweat, and tears in the dream. It is freedom.

Several years after the divorce, I packed up my dog and took off in my car, cross-country from Seattle to Boca Raton, Florida to Gardner, Maine but fell in love, married, and left for a year-long honeymoon in Europe. It is a blessing AND freedom.

You've had moments of freedom in your life. In a way, they are milestones. When you remember those moments, you'll remember a time of significant growth. In another way, the moments of freedom brought the fear of the unknown.

 But you worked your way through it.

Today you know you can face the unknown and get to freedom on the other side. Hooray for you!

Everyone is on their journey, it's true. It doesn't serve anyone to be robbed of lessons. Once the lesson is learned, we all can use a coach for faster recovery. I know I could have but I didn't want anyone to know my weaknesses or even how to ask for help. "Pride goes before a fall." It's another truth.

If you are feeling stuck or as if you must move on, maybe it's time to re-evaluate. An objective and compassionate financial coach can serve you when you're ready.

The big deal about freedom is you can journey through life alone, but you don't have to. (Free Q&A, send me a message.)