I believe that the ultimate goal for all of us who seek financial peace is to also achieve financial freedom. To be free of all debt and worry. The freedom to live life and have a lifestyle you are comfortable with without worrying how you will maintain it.
Achieving financial freedom is not about being rich or making a certain amount of money. You can have financial freedom at all income levels. It is all about perspective, mindset, and seeking it the right way. There are three keys to achieving financial freedom the right way.
1) Understanding and Practicing Stewardship
Stewardship is key in how you look at and deal with your finances.
God has blessed you with all that you have and is simply letting you steward it, or manage it. When we look at all we have, especially our money, as God’s it helps us to have a better perspective on how to manage it. I know whenever someone trusts me with something of theirs, I often care for it better than I would if it were my own.
The same applies to our finances. If we apply the principle of stewardship to the way we manage our finances, we would take better care of it. You would take fewer risks that may put your financial well being at risk. Therefore taking you a few steps closer the financial freedom and peace you are truly seeking.
2) Being Content
When working towards achieving financial freedom it is so important to learn to be content.
Being content is important in your journey to financial freedom for two reasons. First, financial freedom is not about achieving a certain income level or becoming rich. You are already rich in more ways than you realize.
Maintaining an attitude of gratitude is something that helps us to be grateful and content. So by not focusing on this imaginary bar of ‘If I just make (this) much money everything will be better’, you learn to not only live within your means, but well below them.
Secondly, being content allows you to appreciate all that God has blessed you with and you want to better steward what you have. Both of these attributes of contentment take you a few more steps closer to financial freedom.
3) Hard Work
The last key to achieving financial freedom and sometimes the hardest is actually doing the work. It is definitely a lot easier said than done. Hard work is required to not just achieve it, but to maintain it.
You also have to take a hard look at yourself, your finances, your choices, and decide if you really want financial freedom. If the answer is yes, then you have to commit to doing the work necessary.
Achieving financial freedom and peace is closer than you think. Although like in life, it is more of a marathon and not a sprint. It can be achieved, especially if you embrace these three keys.
If you can embrace the principle of stewardship and become a better steward of all that God has blessed you with. While also learning to be content with those blessings and put in the work necessary, you will have the financial peace and freedom that you are seeking.
I’d love to know if you have any other keys to achieving financial freedom in the comments!
Absolutely! Budgeting is a very important part of the path to financial freedom. That, and discipline!
Great point, Ayanna! That is something I also like to remind myself all the time, to be content of the blessing that God has blessed me.
I am bad with finance. Hope i will learn from this post. Thanks for sharing xoxo
I like your message about being content. I often try to remind myself that I am lucky to have my life and be where I am, and that there are plenty of people who may not be as fortunate in this world, who would be more than content with my blessings.
Hi Ayanna, I really enjoyed your post. Stewardship was my favorite, I really hadn’t thought of this when it comes to finances but it makes sense, it definitely makes you value what you have and take good care of it.
Each of these is so true! I think I struggle most with contentment. I’m a pretty good steward, and a great worker, but I’m also very ambitious, which kind of leads to discontent. I love the scripture you suggested!
Learning to be content with what you have has got to be one of the hardest things when you become an adult. If you want to achieve some extras that you really need versus showing off, then you need to learn contentment.
I’m definitely due a tightening of the ship! Every now and again I need to review and reign in the spending!
Great 3 key things to do to becoming financially free. However all these are easier said than done. I guess we all have to start somewhere and we should be as consistent as possible. If we fall off the wagon…..we should just get right back on it again!
D, xo
Being content with what you already have as well is HUGE when trying to get your finances in order- because buying things we don’t NEED or couldn’t afford is usually how we get ourselves into the mess in the first place!
We struggle with this. We have adopted some of the principles of financial peace and I use an envelopes system. I am just sure we will always have student loan debt.
Wonderful tips on how to stay on track with your finances. I’m sure there are so many people that can use all of this advice.
I love the idea of reaching financial freedom by being content because it’s exactly what has helped me so much! We are all so much richer than we realize!! It’s taken me some years to figure that out, but it’s changed my life.
Thanks for this post! My hubby and I set up a budget this month but need to check in with each other again and see how we’re doing following it. This was a great reminder to do that!
One thing that I always say is “there’s no substitute for hard work”! And it always pays off
It’s so important to remember that financial freedom is a marathon! Thank you for laying out such clear steps.
It is always a struggle and often easier said than done. You have great tips and things to keep in mind when the peace feels distant.
xo
Taylor
This is such a fantastic post! Financial freedom is something that I think SO many of us see others achieve and think it’s impossible. I love your piece about being content as it is so true. We have to accept what we have to work with and embrace it for what we can!
Great tips! Thank you for sharing. Sometimes I forget to give it to God and let him handle it the way he meant to.
I am trying to keep up with my finances better. I’m paying off credit card debts too. I have such a hard time with being patient though, I’m working on it.
Such great tips to change one’s mentality to improve finances. So important to realize how being content can change our perspective towards things our hearts “seem” to desire.
I have learned to embrace the simple and inexpensive things in life and truly work hard and save for those expensive things that we either want or need. This discipline has led me to pure happiness.
I am so in need of a good budget! We love vacationing and I need to calm down on that a bit. LOL
I love this perspective! It is so easy to get off track and neglect the time to look at your finances.
Great tips…sharing your post x
I’m really trying to save for an holiday coming up but it’s such a challenge, it’s so hard to balance everything, I wish I could have financial freedom, my life wold be way easier
These are really great tips, finacial freedom is definitely more important than being rich