I've spent this Independence Day, the 231st birthday of the United States of America, focusing my many thoughts and feelings of gratitude on the LIBERTY?the FREEDOMS...my family and I enjoy every day. For example, we are blessed with:

*

the Freedom to come and go as we please;

*

the Freedom to speak our minds;

*

the Freedom to live where we choose;

*

the Freedom to vote;

*

the Freedom to worship; and

*

the Freedom to choose SO many things in life -- spouse, friends, hobbies, passions, causes, satellite or cable, white or wheat, organic or not, democrat or republican'or not.

Although we may sometimes take some of these Freedoms for granted, it is not because they are unimportant or unappreciated. It is simply because we have known no other way. We have always lived in the glorious ?land of the free and the home of the brave.? (The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key, 1814). We have always been blessed with Freedoms and Freedom of Choice.

A little more than 4? years ago I exercised my Freedom of Choice and freely chose to walk away from a six-figure income in Corporate America to embrace the many Freedoms that entrepreneurship and a home-based business (more specifically, network marketing) offered. I was intrigued by the possibility of FINANCIAL FREEDOM and TIME FREEDOM. Other ?Freedoms? that caught my attention included:

*

the Freedom to choose a company and products that align with my vision, passion and purpose to serve others;

*

the Freedom to immerse myself in personal and professional development (training and development always seemed to fall off the list of budget priorities in Corporate America);

*

the Freedom to be in business for myself but not by myself;

*

the Freedom to set my own office hours and work schedule;

*

the Freedom to establish my own dress code;

*

the Freedom to go as fast or as slow as I desire to go;

*

the Freedom to share my personal experiences (with my products or services, of course) with my co-workers and prospective business partners; and

*

the Freedom to leverage the efforts of others?many others.

For me, one of the most enticing was the Freedom to set my own work schedule. Unlike succumbing to the scheduling whims of Corporate America, it is refreshing to say, ?No. Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. is not a good time for me. I am available Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. or Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Which do you prefer??

It is both empowering and rewarding to have the Freedom to schedule business calls and appointments in between school field trips and events; dance, painting and golf lessons; time at the pool; family movie night and other miscellaneous family activities. This is but a taste of the TIME FREEDOM that a home-based business has to offer.

Complete Time Freedom is realized when FINANCIAL FREEDOM is also achieved. Although there are many philosophies and strategies for attaining Financial Freedom, it may be accomplished by maximizing leverage in a home-based business through consistent and persistent, committed actions. Achieve Financial Freedom and you will enjoy Time Freedom in its splendor. This is INDEPENDENCE.

Thus, in reflecting on Freedom and its many meanings and representations on this 4th of July, I gratefully acknowledge, embrace, celebrate and cherish the opportunity to experience to the fullest what our forefathers so boldly declared were our ?unalienable Rights?Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.?