Happy 4^th of July to you and your family!

This month is always special to me not only because of all the fun I have with my family, but because it is a reminder of how blessed we  are to have this freedom.  To think, we often take for granted that we are in America and we are given the freedom and benefits that most countries don’t have.  Some worked hard to come and live in this great land of liberty, and others have this freedom because they were born here.

I, myself, was born in the United States.  However, when I was 2 years old, my parents visited the Philippines, and my brother and I ended up living there for 5 years.  I am blessed to have been exposed to our culture because I am reminded of how grateful I need to be for what I have here in America.

For instance, I remember eating at Jollibee (the Filipino McDonald’s) with my mom when I was 4 years old.  There would be a group of homeless kids gathered at the window staring at the food we were eating.  I asked my mom, “How come they don’t have any food to eat?”  My mom would reply, “Because there are a lot of kids here who have no means of having a meal because their parents have no money.”  I felt bad for those kids and remember asking my mom if I can share my food.

My mom, who is nurturing, would buy a bunch of burgers and distribute them to all the kids.  She is an amazing role model, and she had taught me the value of generosity.  No wonder why I’m always feeding others even 32 years later 🙂  She would say to me, “When it comes to food…there is always enough for everyone.”  Food is never wasted in our home.

So living in America we have many freedoms…the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of petition, and so forth.

What I’d like to talk about is Financial Freedom.  Why is it that some people lack financial freedom, and to others, financial freedom comes so easily?  Is it because some people were born in certain circumstances?  Or maybe some people are just lucky?  It is neither of these.

I have met many millionaires who started off with just a few dollars in their pockets and whose parents didn’t have much.  There are also those people who are “lucky” winning the lottery and then filing bankruptcy a couple of years later.  I believe it is the inner beliefs we have about money, the habits we have around money, and our ability to manage money.  So when I talk about inner beliefs, do you have an abundant mindset or  a limited mindset?  Do you say to your kids “we can’t afford it” (limited mindset) or “how can we afford it?” (which opens your mind to the abundance the world has to offer).

When it comes to habits, do you actually have a system (such as the one in my FREE report “The #1 Secret to Your Kid’s Financial Success”) to allocate your funds? Or do you just go about your month living paycheck to paycheck and not knowing where your money is going?  How does financial freedom look like to you?   Here is my definition of financial freedom.

Financial Freedom is when your passive income is greater than the cost of your CHOSEN lifestyle.  I say chosen because there are many people who make 7 figures and are drowning in debt.  While others who understand this concept, earn less money and are financially free.  They know how to create wealth by investing in the 3 Pillars of Wealth (business, real estate, and stocks) that give them passive income (where you do the work once and earn income over and over and over again).

So choose a lifestyle that will allow you to reach financial freedom!  With all the freedoms we have here in America, why not Financial Freedom?

Be safe on the 4^th of July, and be grateful for what you have!