What do you value most in your life?

Faith, family, friendship, integrity, character, service – these are some of the things I’ve always treasured most.

Unfortunately – and despite our best intentions – many of us make the mistake of taking the people and things we value most for granted. We live hectic, fast-paced lives and sometimes it’s challenging to keep our priorities in check.

In past years, I’ve written about something too many of us take for granted: our freedom.

Because our freedom is a constant in our lives, we often struggle to be conscious of this gift on a day to day basis. But our freedom is one of our most valuable treasures, both as individuals and as a nation.

I was reminded of our freedom this past week, as we (hopefully) flocked out to cast our votes to elect our next President. Regardless of who you voted for, the freedom to vote and choose a leader is something we cannot take for granted.

(As a side note, I want to add that although you may not have liked our presidential options, we can all have peace of mind in the fact that God ultimately governs our reality and our destiny. He is the one running the show, irrespective of who resides in the White House!)

With the election behind us, my attention has shifted to an upcoming day that has always held an important place in my heart: Veteran’s Day. On Friday, November 11th, our nation will stop to reflect and appreciate the many freedoms we are blessed with. Of equal importance, we will remember and pay tribute to those who fought – and continue to fight – to protect these freedoms. Our Canadian neighbors to the north will also be honoring their veterans on November 11th, “Remembrance Day”.

Many people go about their days carrying on business as usual. They may notice someone’s Veteran’s Day-related post on Facebook or watch a short clip from a Veteran’s Day ceremony on a local news network, but other than that, it is given little thought. This isn’t the case in my home. Veteran’s Day has always meant a great deal to my husband Mike and I.

For 17 years, Mike served in the special operations unit of the Air Force. Naturally, I am proud of him, but even more, I am grateful to him for his service. My father and many dear friends also put their lives on the line to serve our country and ensure our freedom.

If you have family members or friends who have served, Veteran’s Day inherently takes on more meaning. But for those who don’t, it can be easier to let the day slip by without pausing to reflect. It’s not that they don’t recognize the sacrifice made by our veterans. But they often don’t make time to think deeply about the enormous value of the freedom and independence our veterans have gifted to us.

A Time for Personal Introspection

On Veteran’s Day, I stop my workday to spend time reflecting on these gifts. Have I been appreciating them enough? Or have I been taking them for granted?

For business entrepreneurs, freedom and independence are more valuable than gold. Why? Without them, we wouldn’t be able to pursue our dreams. Succeeding as an entrepreneur may require incredible discipline, drive and hard work. But the ability to work hard to reach your own goals and build a legacy for you and your family is a privilege. One we wouldn’t have if our air force, army, navy and marines didn’t fight to maintain our freedom. For that, we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.

On Veteran’s Day, take the time to express your appreciation to our veterans and their families. If you don’t know a veteran personally, no matter. You can thank them in your heart and pray for the safety and well-being of those currently serving our country.

Freedom to Earn

The greatest way to show appreciation to our veterans is by taking advantage of the freedom they worked hard or even paid the ultimate price for us to enjoy.

What does that look like, exactly?

For entrepreneurs, that means capitalizing on the freedom to dream without inhibition and to build a profitable business.

That means waking up each morning ready to seize opportunities. And it means setting goals, implementing proven strategies and doing the daily actions necessary to make your dreams a reality.

Let Veteran’s Day be a reminder that we are blessed with the freedom to work hard to achieve our dreams. When you face challenges or road bumps, remember that our veterans fought for your freedom, and that with the right mindset and tools, you can prosper in your business and live the life you dream of living.

Thanks to this gift of freedom, I have been able to spend decades pursuing and enjoying success in direct sales, high performance team building and business development. I teach my Celeste Giordano clients the tools and strategies that I’ve used to build my own legacy business. Email me today at celeste@celestegiordano.com to finish 2016 strong and “Double Plus” your income in 2017.

This Friday, make sure to take a few quiet moments to appreciate our veterans, including those we’ve lost, and pray for the soldiers who continue to fight for the gift of freedom we so treasure.

Up Next: You’re Invited

We invite our local community to visit us on November 16th from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the 1818 Club for the WGC Atlanta Chapter meeting. Pre-registration for the event is $25.00. Click here to pre-register. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact celeste@thewomenofglobalchange.com.

We are also opening up several other chapters across the United States. I am honored to help launch the Toronto, Ontario Chapter in March, 2017. To become a presenting sponsor or sponsor at this premier Toronto event, contact Celeste Giordano here. For additional information about WGC, please visit our website!

Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “double-plus” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with almost 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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