What Financial Freedom Really Gave Me — And What I Didn’t Expect
Most people misunderstand financial freedom.
They imagine it as an escape.
As not working.
I am sitting on a beach doing nothing.
As not working.
I am sitting on a beach doing nothing.
That was never my goal.
For me, financial freedom was never about not wanting to do anything.
It was about having the freedom to do what I want, when I want, and where I want without fear.
It was about having the freedom to do what I want, when I want, and where I want without fear.
And I didn’t fully understand how powerful that would be until I lived it.
When Financial Freedom Became Personal
Before COVID, financial freedom was an idea.
Something important, yes — but abstract.
Something I knew I should care about, but didn’t urgently need to act on.
Something I knew I should care about, but didn’t urgently need to act on.
I had experience.
I had a strong network.
I had years of industry expertise.
I had a strong network.
I had years of industry expertise.
In normal circumstances, if I ever lost my job, I knew I would find another one quickly. That thought had never scared me. It had never even crossed my mind seriously.
Then the world shut down.
I didn’t lose my job — but many people around me did.
And for the first time, a different question crossed my mind:
What if I lost my job now?
Not in a normal market.
Not in a healthy economy.
But in a world where hiring had stopped, uncertainty was everywhere, and even the most qualified people were stuck.
Not in a healthy economy.
But in a world where hiring had stopped, uncertainty was everywhere, and even the most qualified people were stuck.
During COVID, finding another job wasn’t just difficult; it felt almost impossible.
That’s when the idea of financial freedom stopped being theoretical and became very real.
Knowing I’d Be “Okay” — But At What Cost
I wasn’t afraid of meeting the basic needs.
I’ve always saved.
I’ve always prepared for rainy days.
I have a very supportive family.
I’ve always prepared for rainy days.
I have a very supportive family.
I knew I would be okay.
But “okay” would come with compromises.
Choices would shrink.
Flexibility would disappear.
And the future I wanted, especially for my son and his education, would suddenly feel uncertain.
Flexibility would disappear.
And the future I wanted, especially for my son and his education, would suddenly feel uncertain.
That’s when financial freedom stopped being optional in my mind.
The Passion I Had Always Postponed
I had been interested in the stock market for years.
Not casually, deeply.
I loved understanding how markets move, how companies grow, how capital works, and how patience is rewarded over time.
But like many passions, it was always postponed.
“I’ll learn later.”
“When I have more time.”
“When life slows down.”
“When I have more time.”
“When life slows down.”
COVID removed the illusion that life ever truly slows down on its own.
So I made a decision:
I was going to take investing seriously—not as a side interest but as a long-term strategy.
I was going to take investing seriously—not as a side interest but as a long-term strategy.
Learning the Stock Market With Intention
I opened my investing account on Questrade and approached investing with discipline.
I studied.
I read constantly.
I analyzed companies.
I learned risk management.
I learned patience.
I learned when not to act.
I read constantly.
I analyzed companies.
I learned risk management.
I learned patience.
I learned when not to act.
I didn’t chase hype.
I didn’t gamble.
I invested with intention.
I didn’t gamble.
I invested with intention.
And quietly, over time, it worked.
I was one of the lucky ones to invest in Nvidia and Palantir because I invested time in learning where the market was going, and I took the right steps.
Within five years, this passion for investing gave me something I never expected to achieve so soon:
Financial freedom.
💡 Related Read
RRSP vs. TFSA vs. FHSA: The Three Pillars of Canadian Financial Freedom
Understanding where you invest is just as important as how you invest. This guide breaks down Canada’s three core registered accounts — RRSP, TFSA, and FHSA — and how they work together to support long-term financial freedom.
I personally manage my long-term investing through Questrade, which gives me the flexibility and control to build across these accounts with intention.
What Financial Freedom Allowed Me to Do
Financial freedom didn’t make me quit working.
It gave me a choice.
I was able to walk away from a six-figure job, a job I actually loved, not because I was burned out, but because I wanted to pursue something else.
Writing.
Digital publishing.
Health.
Wellness.
Learning.
Creating.
Digital publishing.
Health.
Wellness.
Learning.
Creating.
And continue investing in the stock market, of course.
Things I was already passionate about — now without pressure.
Time and Location Freedom Changed Everything
The first thing financial freedom gave me was time.
Real, unrushed time.
I can write from anywhere.
I can trade stocks from anywhere.
I can structure my days around energy instead of obligation.
I can trade stocks from anywhere.
I can structure my days around energy instead of obligation.
My son is still young, and in school, so I’m not completely location-free yet — but I can see it clearly.
And knowing that freedom is coming, without urgency, is powerful.
The Days When I Do Nothing
This was the biggest surprise.
There are days now when I do nothing.
I don’t write.
I don’t trade.
I don’t produce.
I don’t trade.
I don’t produce.
I read.
I think.
I rest.
I think.
I rest.
And instead of guilt, I feel something else:
Calm.
My nervous system has changed.
There’s no rush.
No constant urgency.
No background anxiety.
There’s no rush.
No constant urgency.
No background anxiety.
I didn’t even realize how much my body was carrying until it stopped.
The Health Benefit No One Talks About
I was always healthy.
I ate well.
I exercised.
I understood nutrition.
I lived a healthy lifestyle.
I exercised.
I understood nutrition.
I lived a healthy lifestyle.
But slowing down life did something different.
It regulated my nervous system.
It improved my sleep.
It softened my thinking.
It gave me space to process instead of react.
It improved my sleep.
It softened my thinking.
It gave me space to process instead of react.
Financial freedom didn’t just change my schedule; it changed my life.
It changed my physiology.
Financial Freedom Isn’t the End Goal
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Financial freedom isn’t about escaping work.
It’s about escaping fear.
It’s about escaping fear.
Fear of losing income.
Fear of saying no.
Fear of slowing down.
Fear of choosing differently.
Fear of saying no.
Fear of slowing down.
Fear of choosing differently.
It’s about creating a life where your nervous system isn’t constantly bracing for impact.
💡 Related Read
Financial Freedom: The Ultimate Bucket List Goal
Financial freedom isn’t about doing nothing — it’s about creating time, choice, and peace of mind. This article explores why financial independence belongs on every intentional bucket list.
Why I Still Work — And Always Will
I still write.
I still invest.
I still learn.
I still create.
I still invest.
I still learn.
I still create.
But now it comes from alignment—not pressure.
Financial freedom didn’t make me stop caring.
It allowed me to care about the right things.
Final Reflection
Financial freedom gave me time.
It gave me location independence.
It gave me creative space.
It gave me calm.
It gave me location independence.
It gave me creative space.
It gave me calm.
But what I didn’t expect was this:
It gave me my nervous system back.
And that has changed everything.
