Freedoms
Every July 4th, I find myself dwelling on the word "freedom." Yes, of course, the freedoms we celebrate in America as a result of the events that transpired nearly 250 years ago. However, this day also makes me reflect on other types of freedom. So many freedoms to be thankful for!
On July 4th, 2009, I didn't exactly feel free. I had recently moved to Iowa in what can only be described as an involuntary relocation. My company in Kansas City had been shut down, everyone fired, and I had a gut-wrenching decision in front of me: Join my newly unemployed friends in one of the worst job markets of our lifetime, or pick up my entire life, leave everything I loved, relocate to a different state, and keep my job. Oh yeah, did I mention I had been engaged for three days? Wonderful times!
There was an elephant in the room that seemed to have more decision-making power than me: the $236,000 of debt hanging around my neck. For several years, I had made some questionable choices that didn't seem like a big deal.......until they became my worst nightmare. So there I was, on July 4th, 2009, reflecting on how I didn't exactly feel free. I felt enslaved to my debt, my job, and my past choices.
Luckily, that wasn't the end of the story, but rather just the beginning. Sarah and I married later that year, began building a life together in Iowa, and eventually paid off the $236,000 in debt. Month by month, win by win, our lives slowly began to shift. Getting out of that debt was one of the most freeing experiences I've ever had.
Fast forward more than a decade, and I get to dedicate my life to helping other people achieve freedom.
The freedom from debt.
The freedom from living other people's values.
The freedom to aggressively pursue work that matters.
The freedom to be outrageously generous.
The freedom to live counter to the prevailing culture.
The freedom to build that business they had always dreamed of.
The freedom from money being a tension point in their marriages.
The freedom to live for the meaning, not the money.
Whether you're celebrating a freedom today, or in the midst of pursuing one, I hope you take a few minutes to reflect on your journey with a spirit of gratitude, dedication, and aspiration. The best is yet to come. Happy 4th of July, everyone!
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