What Does Financial Freedom Mean For You?

Financial freedom is different for everyone based on their desires, lifestyle and life experiences. 

For some people, it means having a financial cushion: savings, investments, a nest egg and enough cash (on hand) to afford their lifestyle and pursue their dreams. We all want to live a comfortable debt-free life, and financial freedom will allow us to make choices without financial limitations to meet our needs and pursue our goals without worrying about money.  

It incorporates the five pillars of financial planning: income, investments, insurance, tax and estate planning—3ITEp. 

Achieving financial freedom requires a careful life assessment: lifestyle, budgeting, investing, borrowing, and simplifying your means. It requires you to ask yourself three simple questions:

1. What does financial freedom look like?
2. What does financial freedom feel like?
3. What does financial freedom sound like?

It would help if you had a clear picture of what it means and looks like to you to know when you achieved it. For some people, it is having enough income to cover their basic living expenses and any further discretionary spending; for others, it might be not having to rely on a traditional job or career, yet for some, it is all about having assets. Still, for some, it means not having to save up cash or take out a loan to make costly purchases. That is why you need to have a clear picture of what success looks like. Visualizing success helps us understand our goals and accomplishments. It will help you to better track your progress and celebrate your achievements.

I understand this is not always easy, but if you make it a goal and work at it consistently, you can make it happen! It is never too late to achieve your dreams.

To achieve your dreams, you must cultivate a sense of gratitude for what you have and avoid comparing and despairing. Keeping a gratitude journal or jar to count your blessings can help you stay focused on your journey and progress; remember that everyone has their own challenges and struggles, and no one's life is perfect.