Can money give you freedom?

American flag and sparkler celebrating the 4th of July

On July 4th, we Americans proudly declare ourselves “free”, but are we truly free?

On July 4, 1776 our Founding Fathers radically changed the course of history by declaring themselves and our nation free from British rule. 

They no longer wanted to answer to the British crown, so they fought a war to free themselves and become an independent nation. 

In today’s world, we mostly celebrate this independence with hotdogs, American flags, and fireworks. However, we also talk a lot about freedom. Freedom, and the right to be free, is a foundational belief for many Americans. 

And it’s true, we are: 

Free from a dictatorship 

Free to practice our own religion 

Have freedom of speech 

But have you ever stopped to consider what freedom really means to you, in your own life? 

Many of us are harnessed to jobs that we don’t like because we need the paycheck. Are we free? 

Many of us are saddled with credit card debt because we had no other way to pay our bills. Are we free? 

Many of us are stuck paying student loans that we took out at 18 years old, because we didn’t fully understand the consequences. Are we free? 

Even in this independent nation, most of us aren’t “free”. 

So on July 4th, as we’re celebrating our Independence Day, I encourage you to take a moment of reflection. What does freedom mean to you? 

Here’s an easy way to get started: 

Imagine I handed you $10 million and told you to use this money to live the rest of your life. What changes would you make in your life now that you have all this money? 

Would you travel more? 

Would you pay off debt? 

Would you buy a house for yourself or your parents? 

Would you go out to eat more? 

Would you quit your job and go to yoga class every day at noon? 

Money might not buy happiness, but it does buy freedom. Freedom to choose your own schedule. Freedom to be more generous with your time and money. Freedom to design your life in the way that brings you the most joy. 

So, while I can’t actually give you $10 million, I can give you this: 

If you had the money to design your own life, what would it look like? And what steps can you take today to start working towards that life? 

Maybe you want to travel more and see new places. Could you find a job that lets you travel? 

Maybe you want to be debt free. Can you get a second job or find extra money in your budget to pay off debt faster? 

Maybe your best life means getting together with friends every Sunday morning for brunch and bottomless mimosas. If you pack lunch for the office instead of eating out, you can add $200/month to your budget for weekly brunch.  

So what does freedom look like to you? 

And how are you going to use money as a tool to get there?

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