What Does “Security” Actually Mean To You Now, And Going Forward?
If you want more flexibility without feeling reckless, start by getting super clear on what security looks like. This week's One Step Closer is a practical exercise for planning your next chapter.
The human need for security quietly runs our lives, whether we realize it or not. It shapes the jobs we keep, the cities and relationships we stay in, the risks we don’t take.
This isn’t just a financial concept, either. It’s a nervous system response. It’s the feeling in your chest when the rent is covered. It’s the exhale when the contract renews.
And in midlife — especially if you’ve weathered layoffs, divorce, single parenthood, illness, or financial swings — it’s a word that can carry a lot of history.
For some of us, security was scarce growing up, and so we chase it relentlessly. For others, security once existed and then disappeared, and we’re determined never to feel that ground give way again.
ICYMI:
It lives in our bank accounts, yes. But it also lives in our habits and our tolerance for uncertainty. It’s hiding in the stories we tell ourselves about what would happen if things went wrong.
We talk a lot here about generating more flexible income in the pursuit of building a more location-independent or self-employed life. But this week’s step isn’t about earning more.
It’s about redefining what “secure” actually means to you now, so you can stop making decisions based on old moments when you didn’t feel safe — and start living in your current circumstances.
One Step Closer is our no-fluff series on taking small, intentional steps toward a freer, location-independent life — without burning out or starting over.
