Back to Article index To print this page, click on the Print icon in your browser.   Money Mastery Is a Choice: Financial Independence NOW!   What does financial independence mean to you? Is it about money? Or success? Maybe to you financial independence is about freedom. We all define financial independence in our own way. How you define financial independence and your feelings about it are unique to you. Your beliefs, conditioning, experience and childhood lessons have brought you to where you are now with money.   Wherever you are with money, however you've managed your finances till now, is neither wrong nor right, it just is. If you're not happy with where you are in your financial well being, now is a good time to look at what's holding you back.   As a coach, I've worked with many people to get their finances in order and get them on the path to financial independence. I lead workshops and have co-authored a step-by-step manual to help people on their path. Achieving financial independence is a process involving more than learning how to invest wisely. I start by taking clients and workshop participants (and you) back to square one - assessing personal strengths and resources. This is often a difficult first step. Most of us are very good at identifying strengths in others and minimize what we have ourselves. Yet, until we recognize and embrace our strengths, we struggle, sabotage ourselves, waste energy and limit success.   I use many tools and assessments when working with people on money issues. After recognizing personal strengths, I continue the process using an assessment to make you aware of your current money situation. To move forward, you must be able to identify where you are now. Every journey has a starting point.   Attitudes and beliefs about money, financial independence and integrity are examined next using an Old and New Money Model. It's at this point you begin identifying some of the blocks you have about money and financial independence and also some behaviors that may be limiting your success. As you take in new information, you begin to change your old attitudes about money and financial success.     Next I take you through the Steps and Stages to Financial Independence to help you recognize you're making progress and moving toward your goals. I give you skills and tools to keep you moving forward.   To pull it together, I show you how to create a budget for yourself that works and allows you to live now and plan for the future. I give you additional information and tools to use as you are moving toward financial independence.   The process is simple in design and not easy to do. It does require belief in possibility, faith that the process works and willingness to make big changes. Change happens slowly and can create upset in your life, even when you want it and the change is for the good. A great way to make this more successful for you is to find somebody to support you in your efforts and to surround yourself with people in your life who will be supportive.   One essential quality to working this process is honesty - from assessing your strengths to creating your budget. If you're not willing to be honest about where you've been, where you are and where you want to go, you almost guarantee your failure.   Many people believe their value as a person is a reflection of where they are with their money. This is about as far from truth as you can get. Money is just money. You may have made some poor decisions in your spending and it's still just money. Your value as a human being comes from a far deeper place than your financial condition. This separation of YOU from your money is critical for you to be able to move forward.   There is nothing magical about what I teach or how I move people toward financial independence. What I know is the difference in people who are on the path and those who are stuck is mostly one of attitude. Those who are moving forward believe financial independence can be a reality for them. They have moved to a belief in abundance and live that way. Those who are stuck, live a life based in fear and a belief in lack. They don't think they can ever be financially independent.   Financial independence can be a reality for you. Decide you want more, find out what to do to begin, get help where you need it and enjoy the process. The results are worth all the effort and energy you put into it.   © Copyright May, 1996. Laura Hess, MCC 702.252.3657