Since I started writing on UnboundedLife, I’ve given a thought a lot to what freedom is and what it means in the context of human nature. One theme that I’ve come back to repeatedly is mobility; designing a life from a purposeful future, versus living out an extension of the past. It’s a lofty idea that is easy to talk about but as narrow as the razor’s edge to walk. Last month I was planning to write about how I walk it in terms of the life I’m choosing, but I found myself preoccupied with painful events of the recent past. I felt like until I had honestly moved beyond the sadness of re-experiencing this loss, it would be inauthentic to write about living into a self-chosen future. Kind of like an overweight personal trainer talking about losing weight. (more…)

2010 is the year I move my money. I’ve been too complacent for too long, and have been allowing those institutions who, while benefiting from huge taxpayer bailouts, to use that money to enrich themselves while drastically reducing local lending and fighting legislation that would regulate the reckless investment practices that got us into this mess. There’s no good reason to let this go on. In addition to advocating for shifting our money into sound community banks, I’m going to follow on with a post on the 5 Flags concept as a strategic way of diversifying risk while legally avoiding taxes, and another post on profiting from helping the little guy through peer lending. Personal freedom is about mobility and empowering choices, so here’s how I financially walk the talk. (more…)