Financial freedom: Your ticket to more mental wellness?
What does financial freedom mean to you? In light of Mental Health Month and following International Labor Day on May 1st, I took the opportunity to interview Janneke van den Brink, also known as the ‘Financial Free Woman’ in Holland and bestseller author of the Dutch book ‘Financieel Vrij’ (translated as ‘Financial Freedom’ in English).
Today, it’s common to see people on social media showcasing their luxury cars or vacations to exotic locations like Bali and Dubai, all under the guise of financial freedom. But does having an abundance of money to spend truly constitute financial freedom? Personally, an excess of money means little to me if I don’t have time to enjoy it with the people I love. To me, financial freedom means having the time to be a full-time mom without the stress of paying bills. It’s all about how you choose to spend your time, a sentiment Janneke resonates with.
She achieved financial freedom in March 2020, but the onset of the Corona pandemic made her question: What’s the use of financial freedom without actual freedom? This led her and her husband to prioritize living in a vacation destination where the sun shines often. They accelerated this transition by selling their house, and it’s been nearly three years. While the journey hasn’t always been easy, they are content with their decision to swap the rainy Netherlands for sunnier destinations they’ve explored such as Curacao, Panama, Mexico, and Portugal.
Traveling has brought a significant amount of self-reflection for Janneke. She explains that when you travel, you come face to face with yourself. Everything being literally up in the air, you have to structure your life from scratch, which has not always been easy. However, this has made them creative in how they think and live. One of the activities Janneke and her husband, Jacco, enjoy since they started traveling is resort hopping. They rent a cheap cottage and occasionally visit a luxurious resort, where they enjoy a meal and use all the facilities without the associated costs.
I believe that achieving financial freedom has significantly boosted my mental wellness, and Janneke could not agree more. She compares it to a romantic relationship: “When work becomes a choice rather than an obligation, the relationship with work changes dramatically. If you have to stay together because you are emotionally or financially dependent, then you have a completely different relationship than if you have the choice to leave but choose to stay together every day.”
Now, living in Portugal for two years with her family and recently becoming a mom to two daughters, Janneke has the freedom to spend all her time with her family and work where and when she wants. This was all made possible because she and Jacco made the decision to start their journey towards financial freedom.
As summer approaches, I asked Janneke if she has any tips for adventurous moms out there who want to travel with their children on a low budget during the summer holidays. She emphatically suggests negotiating prices for longer stays directly with property owners, which not only provides a cost advantage but also saves the owners the typical 10% fee charged by booking platforms. If you have a large social media following, consider contacting locations to see if it’s possible to stay for free or at a discount in exchange for promoting the hotel. With a decent following, they’re more than happy to offer a discount for the exposure. Janneke’s most important tip is to think in terms of possibilities: “We all have desires, so try to think win-win; you’ll find that your life can take a very different path.”
Finally, I would like to add my own tip: try to see if you can exchange your home with someone who would like to spend the summer in your country!
For those interested in learning more about financial freedom, you can follow Janneke on her Instagram account or listen to her podcast. She shares content in English, and her book is currently being translated into English.
