Financial Freedom Isn’t a Number. It’s a Feeling.

A quiet moment in Tasmania made me rethink what “financial freedom” actually means.

Hey friends,

This week, while holidaying in Tasmania with the family, I had one of those moments. The kind where life slows down just enough that your mind starts to wander in the spacious, meaningful kind of way.

Down here we have been staying with a family who we met while caravanning. They have four kids of their own and between us we have seven little ones running around having the time of their lives. To make things even better, we have swapped our caravans for a life of luxury living out of Airbnb’s - did someone say “flushing toilets and king beds”!?

We had just finished a big day of adventuring. The kids were worn out (in the best way) and resting outside.

I was out the back enjoying a late-arvo coffee. The sun was dipping low and the world felt still. As I sipped away in this tiny coastal town, the thought hit me:

I want financial freedom.

But almost immediately after, another question followed:

Wait… what even is financial freedom?

I used to think it was a number. A specific figure in a bank account or a passive income stream that meant you never had to work again. That definition used to drive me - until it didn’t.

Because here’s the thing: I know people who’ve hit their “number.” They have the house, the investments, the flexibility. However, some of them still feel anxious. Trapped. Busy. Burnt out. The money didn’t unlock peace; it seemed to have shifted the pressure to new places.

So maybe financial freedom isn’t about the money. Or at least, not just the money. Perhaps it’s more about what the money permits you to do. Or be.

Sitting there in Tasmania, over a few nights' worth of journaling, I scribbled a few things down. For me, financial freedom started to look like:

• Choosing work because it excites me, not because I have to.

• Having slow mornings where I’m not rushing anyone out the door.

• Saying no without guilt.

• Starting projects from curiosity, not pressure.

• Being more present, more often.

• Adventuring wherever we want, whenever we want.

It felt less like a finish line and more like a way of living. I can't quite explain it, but I feel like it would be a quiet confidence that you’re living without worry.

A life where your money isn’t managing you - instead, you’re using it to shape a life that feels good on the inside, not just the outside.

I don’t have a tidy answer - no 10-step framework. Just a gut feeling that maybe the real goal isn’t a number: it’s agency. The ability to choose how you spend your time, your energy, your days.

So here’s my question to you:

What does financial freedom mean to you?

Not the polished version - the real one.

Hit reply if you feel like sharing. Or just let it simmer in the back of your mind next time you’re on a beach, on a hike, or just sitting still for a minute. Sometimes the answers sneak up on us when we’re not trying too hard.

Thank you for reading.

- Kyfer