How the 4th of July reminds us we CAN.
I have always loved the 4th of July. When I was a kid we'd walk the mile from our house to the community park where our city would put on a fantastic fireworks show. It was that much more exciting because I was outside after dark!
This year facing the fear of leaving corporate America to become an entrepreneur, I found incredible inspiration in this holiday.
In the middle of some deep soul-searching, trying to articulate what I wanted, journaling day after day, the word that kept coming up over and over again was freedom. What I craved so badly was freedom! Freedom to express, create and live how I wanted to live. It was the first time that I'd felt trapped.
Our country has a long way to go in fully supporting and accepting all types of people, but what it does offer is freedom to create. Freedom to embark on a quest to create a future and a legacy for you and your family. There are people who arrive in this country with nothing. No home, no money, no support and they make it. They join a neighborhood, start a business and make a better life for themselves and their family.
I know that I can make it on my own. I know I can create a business that offers value and in return allows me to provide for my family. I know this because millions of people before me have done it, with much less and with more risk. And that leaves no doubt in my mind that I'll make it too. One way or another I can create a future for my family because of the country I live in.
So this year, when you're watching fireworks light up the big sky, remember that anything you want to create is possible. The opportunity is there. Follow what's calling you and start.
Here are some quotes I love about freedom:
"I'll tell you what freedom is to me. No. Fear." - Nina Simone
"She realized none of it was real and set herself free." - Katlyn Charlesworth
"If I'd known the freedom in letting go, I would have never held on." - Rachel Firmin
"Hang on. It gets easier and then it gets okay and then it feels like freedom." - Taylor Swift
Happy 4th of July -- It's independence day for our country and your dreams. Let them live!
