As we celebrate Philippine Independence on June 12, ask yourself the question "Am I really free?".
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| "silhouette-of-people-by-the-seashore" by Bayu jefri is licensed under CC0 |
Thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of our forefathers that we can enjoy a democratic country and able to think and act freely. However, in other aspects of life (The 5 Stages of Happiness), only a few were able to achieve freedom.
The happiness of a person can be attributed to the following:
- Spiritual - Faith
- Emotional - Love
- Physical - Health and Wealth
Having an unwavering Faith is first because it will stabilize and anchor your emotions. Then by the Law of Attraction, physical stability will follow. But don't think that this will just be a walk in the park. There will be a lot of trials and tribulations along the way.
The Road to Financial Freedom
This is not the holy grail to Financial Independence but more of a guide of what milestone you need to achieve to be financially healthy.
- Change your perspective or mindset. Instead of saying I can't afford it. Say, how can I afford it? This will force your brain to think of possibilities for accomplishing the task.
- Pay and remove all your debts. Debt is an added responsibility that will only eat away your income source.
- Track all your expenses for three months. That will be enough data to see what expenses you can reduce or eliminate. This will help you to be wise in budgeting.
- Write all your Life Goals. Don't just write it as a list, be detailed as possible. Especially, with the "WHY" and "WHEN". Review your goals every week.
- Build your Emergency Fund. Preferably 6 to 12 months' worth of your expenses.
From this point forward, you will be juggling several items at the same time.
- If your goal is to live alone, then you can just go with Health Insurance coverage. If you want to have a family in the future, then you need to get both Life Insurance and Health Insurance.
- Study the ways of investing while building the funds for it.
- Invest but in baby steps first. Accept the reality that you will win and lose. As you gain experience, either your big wins or big losses can't disturb your peaceful sleep at night.
- Learn how to sell. Be it your services/skills or products. This will prepare you if you want to have a business someday.
- Open a business. You can be a Solopreneur (runs all the business aspects alone) or Entrepreneur (hire the necessary experts and manpower).
Takeaway
The road to financial freedom is filled with difficulties and trials that will test your character. The journey will be hard, there will be many setbacks, and sometimes you will journey to this path alone, just like what our forefathers did to gain our country's independence.
Happy Independence Day!
If you are already financially healthy, share your roadmap in the comments below.
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