Money doesn't buy happiness, but it does by choices!

Have you ever dreamed of financial freedom?  What does that mean to you?  Does it mean paying off debt...or being able to pay all your bills without looking at your bank account before paying them?  Does it mean being able to go shopping or out to dinner without looking at the price tags?  Does it mean having a million dollars in your bank account... or living in your dream house?  Does it mean being able to pay cash for your kids' college education?  Does it mean being able to write a blank check to your favorite charity?  Maybe it means being able to provide assistance to anyone you care about?

When you own your own business, part of your goal certainly is to become successful and wildly profitable but sometimes we feel bad about collecting money from our clients.  Some people think it's a bad thing to be financially wealthy.  Each of us have a perspective on money that can either help us or stop us from running a successful business.

There was a part of me that felt guilty about making lots of money... until this year.  Tomorrow I'm going to tell you about my friend whose story has created a burning desire in my heart to build an extra bank account with $250,000 in 5 years.  Today?  I want to tell you about our neighbor at the lake. 

Around 4 or 5 years ago, Ron & Karen built their dream house on the lake... right next door to Ross' childhood home.  I remember when they started construction of their 8000 sq. ft. house and how we said it made my mother-in-law's house look like an ant!  They were planning to retire and live the rest of their lives in this home and they built it that big because they wanted all 5 of their grown children and their families to be able to come home all at the same time and spend time together.  Pretty cool huh?  It's wonderful to see a family who did what was necessary over the years to build their dream house, and some of you would say... but who needs a house that big anyway?  Big dream houses definitely do not buy happiness...but in this case, having the choice to be able to provide a place where your entire family AND their families can gather...THAT is part of their definition of happiness. 

Dream house (yes, that's my mother-in-law's house to
the right in the trees which is over 3000 sq ft!)

Let me tell you why I felt compeled to share their story.  A few years ago, Ron was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.  I don't personally know a whole lot about the disease, but what I do know is that your central nervous system deteriorates over time.  He is now in a wheelchair full-time and is paralyzed from the neck down.  Imagine for a minute that you have created your dream life and have just begun enjoying your dream house....and your spouse (whether you have one at the moment or not) begins to deteriorate to the point where he is not able to do anything for himself. 

Money doesn't buy happiness, but it does buy choices.  Because they worked smart, Ron & Karen have the ability to manage Parkinson's a little bit easier.  Ron has the top of the line wheelchair that allows him the freedom to move about with the control of his mouth.  They were able to build in tracking on the ceiling so that he can be moved around the multiple level home, can get in and out of bed and in and out of the bathroom as needed.  Now, he may not be able to do everything by himself, but Karen is able to do most things with him because of all of the assistance in their home.  They have a physical therapist that comes to the home and helps out as needed.  My nieces went over to visit him this trip and they talked about the computer he has.  He is able to type and communicate through some contraption in his glasses.  Amazing how much convenience and options can be bought.

Those are the things that you can buy.  Imagine for a second what it must be like when you don't have that caliber of resources?  Can you just imagine if you were not only physically helping but also wondering how you were going to pay for your next medical bill?  Or from his perspective, can you imagine how hopeless it might feel if you are no longer able to contribute to anything?  Our minds are extremely powerful.  I'm willing to bet that he would be deteriorating not just physically, but also mentally.  I'm willing to bet that his quality of life will have disappeared so much faster.  Instead, his grandchildren are still able to enjoy who he is.  He is still sharp as a whip.  Those are things that money can't buy... but because of the things money has bought... they are able to enjoy life.  That is priceless.

I know I don't know much about their lives.  I know it can't be any less excruciating to see your loved one deteriorate over time.  But, I'm sure you can see how having the ability to make choices according to need instead of available resources is beyond powerful.  You can't always control the things that happen to you, but you can certainly control the way you respond to them.  And, if you are willing to work while you can, when there is an obstacle that keeps you from working, your investment in your future will kick in.  I don't know about you, but it makes me look at money from a totally different perspective.  You don't need money to be happy -- happiness is an inside job - it's a choice that costs nothing.  Money doesn't buy happiness, but it does by choices!