How to Free a Family
How do you free a family? This is a question I’ve asked myself over and over again.
So many parents are tied down to 8 to 5 jobs that barely make ends meet. The children who attend school hate it. Many families are living for the weekend. Meanwhile, society keeps pushing the idea of “you can relax and enjoy life when you retire” and “public schools are the only way kids learn anything!” This isn’t sustainable.
But there is another way.
Out there are families that want to be free. They want to be free of the rat race. They want to be free of consumerism. These families want to be free to enjoy their work, enjoy their learning, and be intentional.
And they are ready to do the work to get there.
These families are ready to dream and create. They’re ready to soak up those 18 short years of parenthood. They are ready to create self-sufficiency and heritage to pass down to their children and grandchildren.
To free a family, your family, you must:
Stop listening to the naysayers.
There are people out there who don’t want you to be free just because they want you to stay in the system. They believe because a system worked for them, so it will work for you too. Any deviation from the system they used will result in failure in life. They may really worry about you, really want to control you, or both. Either way, you must limit their knowledge of what you’re doing until you can show progress.
Dream again.
A lot of parents stop dreaming because it just seems too hard to achieve them. Between work, caring for their children, errands, and life’s happenings, they are just trying to survive. Just live for the weekend. Just waiting for retirement. Then they can enjoy life. Then they can slow down. Only then they can do those things they wish they would have done when they were younger.
Brainstorm with your family.
Start with your spouse. Make a date. Maybe it’s a date when you get out of the house, or maybe you stay in and make time after the kids go to bed. Go through your dreams, hopes, and desires together. Get on the same page about what you want out of life. Then, if your children are old enough, ask what they want. Write this down and figure out what will work for your family.
Set goals and make a plan.
Choose your goals. Then break them apart and make them into baby steps. How do you eat an elephant? One piece at a time. Schedule these goals and make them priorities. Otherwise, you’ll stop the day after perfect.
Take action.
Action, or the work, will take you where you want to go. You have to show up every day. If your actions aren’t taking you where you want to go or it seems like you’re failing, it’s time to revisit your actions and see if you need to rework them.
Achieve.
Measure your success from where you were, not how far you have to go. When you achieve your goals, celebrate! Don’t rush to the next one. Otherwise, you may always be chasing happiness but never be happy.
That’s a system, but what does it take to free a family?
- Income from some type of work.
A family must provide for itself in one way or another. Food or seeds need to be purchased first. Housing needs to be purchased or rented. Things in life cost money. Or you can barter what you have or can do for other things.
- Education.
A family must learn. This doesn’t only count for the children, but the adults as well. If you don’t learn, and thus grow, you start dying.
- Knowledge.
Our ancestors never taught us things we need to know. Modernity took over and these things fell into obscurity because of “progress.” This knowledge is what you know and put into practice. This includes cooking, homesteading, natural wellness, civics, civility, and more.
- Essentialism.
Essentialism is important to time and possessions. Essentialism in time frees you to only accept what will achieve your goals in family, business, and life.
Unlike minimalism where you only keep the bare minimum in what you love, in essentialism you keep what’s essential. You’re a jewelry maker? You don’t have to give away half your beads because you haven’t used them yet. Homesteader? Your animals are essential to you.
- Self-Sufficiency Skills
These skills are essential for freedom. If you know how to make your own apple cider vinegar from those peels from that apple tree in your backyard, then you no longer have to buy it. If you know how to repair a fence with scrap wire, then you don’t have to buy that. Being self-sufficient saves money. Being self-sufficient means also buying local when you can help others in your community. It builds community.
- Intentionality.
Intention is everything in how you live your life. Your intention is your priority. This priority is what you put all your effort into. Your priority will be what you take action on every day, no matter what.
What can you be intentional with? Your children. What you eat. Your spouse. Doing more exercise rather than sitting around or choosing the easy way. Your business. Studying about Jesus. Anything in your life can be intentional. It ties in with what is essential.
These are the cornerstones of what it takes to free a family. What else would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments or feel free to email us at thefreefamilyproject @ gmail.com.