Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The path to financial freedom




Increasingly, our consumer society leads us to scorn our inner life and its benefits. People end up identifying with their car, their bank account, their club, etc. They think that their own personal wealth can be defined in terms of their material possessions. The prevailing belief is that the more money you amass, the happier you are. Advertising and marketing executives put an end to spiritual values such as selflessness, generosity, dedication, tolerance, etc. That’s not how I want to live.



There are many stories about immensely rich rock stars or famous actors who no longer know how to spend their money, or even lottery winners who can’t seem to take in their sudden wealth. In principle, their money should guarantee their happiness, but more often than not they end up surrounded by ‘parasites’ rather than sincere friends. True happiness is not linked to the fact of having lots of money. It would be more accurate to say that the main advantage of money is security, the freedom that it can bring, not having to do anything tiresome or boring to provide for your needs, being free of financial worries, having the chance to try new experiences that promote personal development. Money doesn’t necessarily make us better people, but by using it intelligently we can find personal enrichment.



Let’s take the example of travel. Think about everything there is to explore on our planet! You can broaden your horizons, learn about different cultures, admire the splendours of nature, the architectural marvels man has built, if that’s what you want to do. Reading books or seeing films on these subjects can be fascinating of course, but there’s nothing better than experiencing them for yourself – and that’s something that wealth can buy for you. And as far as your home is concerned, you can buy, or have built, the house of your dreams, in a nice area, and furnish it exactly the way you want, etc.



As you will note along your path, having money doesn’t just broaden your horizons, it also increases your level of social responsibility. It gives you the chance to help others, whether in material terms or helping other people to discover their own hidden resources. Prosperity also entails a certain degree of individual responsibility, such as the need to appreciate every moment of your wealthy lifestyle, knowing how to be thankful for all you have, seeking to achieve good physical and mental health, so that you remain worthy of the privileges that money brings.

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