When I was a little girl one of my favorite games was Monopoly. It’s a board game that allows you to buy land, build houses and charge the other player’s rent when they land on your property. I loved to watch other players squirm as they ran out of money trying to pay rent!
I wanted to control as much of the property on the board as possible, but I never tried to buy everything at once. You see, I had a strategy for winning.
Number one, I didn’t try to purchase every property. Instead, I focused on controlling a street. That way, no matter where you landed you were paying me if you wanted to continue around the board.
Second, I didn’t spent all my money. I always had a secret stash so I could unexpectedly scoop up a good deal. I also wanted to make sure I could pay rent to others without going bankrupt.
Third, I tried to secure the “Get out of Jail Free Card”. Usually you have to land on the space that allows you to pick a card and then hope you get the one you want. Sometimes that happened, sometimes it didn’t. What happened more often is that I bought it from the person that pulled it. They needed cash, and I was ready to make a good investment.
It hit me the other day how much Monopoly reminds me of life. I guess it’s because so many people have asked how I made the transition from employee to self-employed. In thinking through how best to answer I finally boiled it down to two things – God has been incredibly gracious to me, and I was mentally and financially prepared to win.
Many years ago, I made the decision to love myself enough to get control of my finances. You see student loans, credit card debt and a host of bad decisions meant I spent years repairing my credit and working to get out of debt. Only to be so delighted with my redeemed credit score that I got in more debt. This cycle went on for years – buying things I didn’t need and couldn’t afford to be satisfied in the moment.
Finally, I got a grip on myself. I realized I was working long hours so that I could pay somebody else. After all, they owned all my stuff! All I owned was the debt. So I started working with a debt counselor AND changed my priorities about what I wanted in life. My goal was freedom!
No more being a slave to bills, or to the “right now”. If I wanted something, I learned to wait. Because you see, I finally understood that the freedom to choose my path was more important than the freedom to spend. My plan for financial freedom became my new “Get Out of Jail Free Card”.
As I talk to women around the world, It hurts my heart to hear them talk about their unrealized hopes and dreams. Such great ideas that never come to light. When I ask them why don’t they just go for it, I realize it’s because their enslaved – either financially strapped or mentally unprepared to give up immediate gratification for the long-term win.
It’s so unfortunate that we let our passing fancies enslave us in jobs we don’t want, relationships that aren’t good for us, and behaviors that are dragging us down. Imagine what life would be like if we were debt free, learned to live on half of what we make, and had enough saved so that we could quit working while we’re still physically well enough to pursue our passions?
It’s time for us to love ourselves enough to sacrifice and set ourselves free! I know it’s tough, but we can do it. How do we get started? Number one, stop trying to do everything at once. Doing one thing well is so much better than doing many things mediocre. Second, set a goal and be patient with yourself. We want things so quickly that we sometimes settle for good instead of the best. We have to always remember that we deserve the best.
Finally, never give up on your dreams. Monopoly taught me another valuable lesson – how to outlast my opponents. The game could go on for hours, and most people had a short attention span. So many times I didn’t have to be smarter to win, I just had to persevere. Eventually, they threw in the towel and I won.
We can’t let that be our story! We deserve the freedom to pursue our dreams, to choose our own path, and to explore the possibility of what could be. Don’t let the abundant life pass you by! Create your own “Get Out of Jail Free Card” and start living the life you’ve always imagined. It may be hard, but you’re worth it.
Loving on Me as I Love You! ❤
Abi Adams says
Absolutely refreshingly, wonderfully true! Thank you x
Katrina McGhee says
You’re welcome! And thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day! 🙂
Sheila Rodrigue says
Wow! I loved this. Very inspiring. Thank you!!
Katrina McGhee says
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a great day!