Your Billionaire Baller Isn't Coming: The Secret to Real Financial Freedom

Ok I admit it. I’ve got a secret. I’ve got a little Disney princess living inside me. Most days I go for the brown girls: Jasmine, Tiana, Pochohantas, or bad ass Mulan.

But on my particularly dreary days nothing less than Cinderella or Belle will do. Am I proud of this? I’m a 33 year old woman raised with all the feminism I could get from She-ros like Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Oprah.  I regularly worry about reinforcing my goddaughter’s sense of intelligence, her athleticism in addition to her beauty. I don’t want her to think being a pretty princess is the only option.

I won’t lie though, I like pretty. I like long hair and pretty nails. I appreciate male attention. I love inspiring men to heights of adoration that culminate in flowers or diamonds or trips, but I’ve learned how dangerous it can be to rest my entire future on these flights of adoration. Cause the truth is, Prince Charming may decide he hates practicing law, or medicine and decide to chuck it all to be a folk musician.

Which is why every woman needs a little Mad Money.  It’s great to attract and even marry great men. Earners, Lovers, Captains of industry, but this bitch needs to make her own money (sorry I just channeled Lil’ Kim there)

But seriously I want my own financial freedom independent of my man. I want a business that caters to my lifestyle not vice versa. I want a business that serves my dreams. I want my own money to make those dreams happen. I want my money to fuel my dreams,

My dreams to:

Travel throughout the year for extended periods of time

To have the freedom to decide what I will do with my time

To be a mother

Have the financial security I didn’t always have as a child

To invest my money wisely

To use my money to give and create a better world

What are your dreams for yourself and your money? Have you received any of those dreams? Those dreams are what I call REAL financial freedom. It’s not about some arbitrary number. It’s about the number YOU need to fuel your dreams (and let me tell you it's less than you think). You there yet? Tell me your money dreams in the comments below.