The Freedom Fund
Money is more than coins, paper, a bank account or even cryptocurrencies. Money is an idea, an energy, a symbol that can represent many things - and one of these things is freedom!
So many of us dream of the day when we will have “enough” money to be free. Free to leave our jobs, to travel, to buy luxuries for ourselves and our loved ones. Free of debt and worry, free to live our lives in whatever way we choose.
But in the meantime we spend our income right up to the last cent and beyond. If this sounds familiar to you, let’s talk. I invite you to take a moment to think about freedom. What does freedom mean to you? Let yourself daydream a little.
While you are doing that, let me tell you my story~
I had a job I hated. I hated everything about it except the paycheck. Of course the paycheck only lasted from month to month; every raise I got seemed to disappear without a trace.
To distract myself, I started growing a garden and making crafty things from it. People wanted to buy them. With the money I got, I bought supplies. Sold more, bought more – and had a lot of fun doing it. Then one day my husband pointed out that for all the work I’d done I had boxes of supplies - but zero cash. I was following the same pattern as with my job - spending all I earned. I thought about it and decided to change that pattern. I created a “Freedom Fund”.
For years my dream had been to be able to quit my job and follow my dream of having a small herb shop. I had a notebook full of ideas, written notes, pictures cut from magazines, addresses of suppliers. I'd been creating my dream on paper with no real expectation of it ever coming true.
I found a large jar and started putting 25% of everything I sold into a jar. It added up more quickly than I expected, and when it totaled $500, I bought a 1-year CD and started filling the jar again. My freedom fund grew so much that in only a couple of years I had enough saved to quit my job and open a little shop.
Life was good. I stopped paying into the freedom fund. Then one day, after many years of working very hard to keep the store going, I realized that I desperately needed a vacation. Every penny that the store earned had to be spent on the store, I had nothing extra. (Again I'd fallen into that old pattern.) So out came the freedom jar. Every bit of extra money that came to me personally - gifts and such - went into that jar. It wasn’t long before I had enough to take a lovely vacation that renewed my spirit on many levels.
Right now I don’t have a big ‘freedom’ in mind, but I keep adding to the jar so that when I do, the money is there for me to use.
Have you thought of any freedoms yet? Big and small, if they are important to you, you are important enough to have them. That’s the first step - knowing you deserve the freedom you desire.
So where does the money come from? Some people empty out their pocket change every day, some write a check to themselves every payday. Unexpected gift or bonus? Put some of it in your fund. We might think we need every cent to survive, but somehow we really don’t miss the bits and pieces that don’t show up in our wallet or checking account.
The first bits of money that we put aside are symbolic. It can be a dime or a dollar. Just by establishing the fund you are sending a powerful message to yourself that you deserve to have your freedom.
The only rule of the freedom fund is that the money must be spent** on you**, for something important to you. (Preferably something that will have a long-lasting effect on your life, but that’s for you to decide.)
Whether you tell others about the fund or not is up to you, but at first it’s better not to. I also suggest hiding the total amount from yourself until you are firmly committed to your fund, to avoid tempting yourself into spending “just a little” of it. It’s also a good idea to add to it regularly if you can, just to get in the habit of honoring yourself and your goals.
One last, interesting thing. I’ve noticed that when you create a fund like this it seems to open up even more money energy flowing your way. There is probably a good explanation for this, but I am content to know that it happens, and it’s wonderful!
https://steemit.com/ccc/@freedomshift/6-30-18-saturday-or-cat-turday-meow-updates-on-ccc-rules-upvotes-and-prizes-giveaway
Quite a long read at the end of a boring day...But interesting too...
You must need patience to make such a subject to write like this...
Happy to see you are part of #ccc...
Wonderful post about how small steps can lead us to new places. It's about honoring our dreams and taking action on them. :-)
Yes, exactly!
Honoring our spirit that has the dream. That brings us the dream?
And for me changing that old pattern of "spend everything you got" was a vital step!
Awesome story and advise @donna-metcalfe. I used to do that when I was working (now I am retired), but I use the fund to bought golden rings that I don't like to put on ... so I just give it to My mother😊 since I feel like always on vacation too😆 (IJK).
There's no real and absolute freedom but Thank God that as human we're born with Free Will. So.. We can decide for ourselves despite the fact there're common rules and community custome we should abide and follow.
Thank You😉
Thank you. Yes, freedom is a big word that can mean different things to people.
For me it was feeling trapped in a bad job and feeling hopeless to leave. Getting older and more discouraged every day. Then taking my freedom into my own hands and making a life where I loved every day. I know this is not possible for everyone and I feel blessed I was able to do it.
I also have a weakness for pretty rings! You are nice to give them to your mother!
Respect, Salute! Donna you're one of great women I knew on Steemit. I always love to read your post because it's so thoughtfull
What a huge compliment! And how very kind of you to think so.