As I still sit here and let my ankle heal, I think about the 4th of July. I think about those who helped make this country what it is today, and the many freedoms we each have. I am thankful I live in a country were you can take chances, where dreams can still exist and if you have the courage you can act on them.

Life has vastly changed for me since last year at this time, for it was the forth of July I told my parents I had decided to quit my 9-5 job, give up the security of a constant paycheck and instead follow a passion. I wonder what the parents of the founding fathers though as they forged ahead into uncharted territories. A year later I know now the of the first things you need is a thick skin, people will hate, they will nay-say, they will tear you down at every chance they get, and with the advent of the internet will do so mostly anonymously. You quickly learn to put your head down and work harder, and work harder you do. You find priorities shifting, and over the last year have spent more time dealing with internal demons while journeying through a powerful course of self discovery. All the while observing those call you names, think you are “batshit crazy” and many other monikers.

But this is the price we pay to live in a place were we are free to think whatever we want, have differing of opinions, and ultimately the freedom to live life on our own terms. This is the luxury we have as Americans, freedom. It is not always evident in our daily lives, but we are free, free to think what we want, free to do what we want, and free to take chances in life. When I set my current course direction a year ago I had no idea where it would take me, all I knew was it was time for a chance. Time to hit the reset button on life and try something new, something different and totally out of the box. This is what I did, and it’s led me here.

So this 4th of July aside from spending time with family, I am more thankful to live in a place were I can take the risks, chart the unknown course, and make those decisions in life to go my own way. I thank our founding fathers for our independence, one which rings truer today in my life than ever before.