I remember the years before I claimed my freedom. I was working in an office, feeling despair at the monotony of it all, tired of being woken by the alarm clock each morning and sick of the first thought that I used to have each day; ‘Oh shit’.
My body, mind and soul would sink. The thought of clocking in and clocking out for another day of working the 9-5, of seeing the same people, doing the same thing, watching the clock tick by and waiting for it to mark 5pm eventually drove me into a deep, deep depression.
I thought time off work would fix it. The doctor obliged with me with sick notes for months at a time, but yet the depression wouldn’t lift. I thought tablets would fix it. The doctor obliged me with those too, first prozac and then stronger antidepressants when the prozac didn’t seem to work. Neither helped. I felt helpless and suicidal.
But really the time off work and the tablets were just a mere band aid which could never heal the deepest wound of all; living a life that wasn’t aligned to my values, my beliefs, my calling and my soul.
I also remember the F-word that would be repeated in my mind like a mantra all day, every day; FREEDOM. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom…
11 years ago I made my final break for freedom, I told my boss to ‘go to hell’ and walked out. I didn’t have a plan (or money!), but I went into business and I made it work. I had to. I knew what the alternative was and there was no way in hell I was going back to THAT.
Today my ‘office’ is wherever I am in the world; as long as I have wifi and my laptop I am good to go. I’ve run my business from Barcelona and New York, Berlin and Milan, and right now, as I write this, my office is a beautiful English country garden in the heart of the Cotswolds as I travel around the UK. Wherever I lay my laptop, that’s my home!
If you are a freedom-seeker like me, who craves a life TRULY on your terms, where you make your owns rules and where you are financially independent, here’s what I want you to know about how to claim a life of freedom for yourself.
1. Follow your passion.
Do not start a business, or indeed continue one, if it’s not alighted with your passion or calling. You are simply going to make it 100x harder for yourself. If you are going to go to the trouble of walking away from the ‘normal’ life and escape the cubicle then make sure you don’t create something where you feel equally trapped.
Your calling is YOUR calling. Don’t ignore it. Don’t suppress it. Or you will risk waking up one day with regret.
Besides, that feeling that you have inside of you, that’s there’s MORE waiting for you, it won’t go away. It can feel almost torturous at times if you try and turn your attention away from it as it will keep tugging at your soul until you surrender.
Surrender to it and this will open a door to another level of freedom for you.
2. Act on inspiration.
Where do ideas come from? Who knows! But when inspiration strikes you with a great idea, act on it.
By allowing yourself to operate from a place of inspired action, not only will you feel excited, energised and aligned with your work, you will be allowing yourself the creative freedom that’s always at your disposal (but that so many rarely use), to create magic in your life and the lives of others.
These kind of lightning bolt inspired ideas do have a shelf life though so don’t let them dissipate and wither into the either. Allow yourself the freedom to act and create.
3. Trust.
Trusting yourself first and foremost. Learn to tune into your inner guidance; your gut feeling, your intuition, whatever you wan to call it. It’s there for a reason.
There is no other creature or creation on this earth that suffers from doubt and worry like we do!
I’m all for getting help along the way and learning and getting inspired by others, but ultimately it’s only YOU that will know what’s best for you. And you do know.
And in a world with so many rules it can sure be confusing at times! But what I’ve learned is that there are no rules that you need to follow but the ones of your own creation so have confidence in your own innate abilities.
4. Remember your WHY.
This is going to make you or break your success. Always remember your WHY. My way is to pursue a life of creative freedom, on my terms, doing what I love and helping others to do the same. I want to shake people. Wake them up! Make them understand that more is possible and that they are more powerful than they realise!
What’s your why? Because when you have tapped into this and your keep your powerful vision in your mind every day, every hour it will drive your actions and in turn create the life that you dream of.
5. Tenacity.
You’ve gotta have it!
Stepping away from a life that 99.9% of society lives is not without it’s challenges.
You have to be prepared to weather the ups and down, highs and lows that a life of freedom can bring you.
This type of life is unlike any other you will experience. EVER. You will learn so much about yourself. You will learn what you are made of. You will learn your strengths and weaknesses. You will develop skills that you never dreamed you needed and you will collect experiences that will change your life. You will encounter
6. Keep it simple.
The simplest way is always the best way.
7. Commit
Throw away Plan B
If you are truly following your calling then you will leave yourself no alternative put to put everything you’ve got into it.
Take risks. Take big leaps. You cannot wait for the net to appear. I’ve experienced time and time again that the net will only appear once you make the move.
If you allow for compromise you will end up off track. Leave yourself no alternative but to achieve your freedom in whatever form that takes for you.
I want to wish you every success in your creation of your life of freedom. It sounds like a cliche, but if I can do it, so you can you. Decide and make it happen. It’s within your power.
Change Your Money Story is based on the MINDSET and BELIEFS around creating the money you want and also the actions you need to take. I can help you gain the strength, courage and determination to create a life of freedom and financial independence.
Read ALL about the event here and and get ready to change your relationship with money!
Weds 30th August 7:15pm-9pm
Glastonbury Experience, 2-4 High Street, Glastonbury
Places are very limited and the early bird tickets are ONLY £15 (I know!!). When the early bird offer ends tickets will be £25.
–>> https://karenstrunks.com/changeyourmoneystory/
