Honoring America

I'm an American. I was fortunate enough to be born here and I'm thankful every day for that. The risks our forefathers took to birth this great nation were tremendous and many died in the process. They gave their lives in the pursuit of liberty, and we should never forget it. Liberty is the reason we have become the greatest nation on Earth. Here we enjoy the freedom to create, freedom to speak and write, freedom to defend yourself and family against predators, freedom to assemble peaceably on the street corner and freedom to pursue happiness as you define it.

We can start businesses from nothing and grow them into empires, we can come up with a better idea, we can invent a service and market it to others, we have the freedom to enjoy FREE ENTERPRISE which is an incredibly powerful thing. A person filled with the desire to have a better life is incredibly productive, very industrious, and amazingly inspiring.

It's human nature to strive for more, to want to achieve, excel, and win. It's natural to want a better life for yourself and family, and thankfully in America, you can do that, if you seize the opportunities that exist here. We've all heard the phrase, "When opportunity knocks", but I don't believe that opportunity comes knocking on your door. You make your own opportunity. You ask for what you want. You choose your attitude, you choose your path. You sit down and figure out your priorities and your goals, then you do what it takes to meet people who can help you get there. You have a contribution to make to this world and in this country, you are free to make it through the capitalist, free enterprise system.

Sometimes things do go your way; sometimes there are "lucky breaks", but success certainly doesn't depend on luck or circumstance. Success depends on attitude and action. Repeated, habitual, focused action, day after day, week after week to create a critical mass of positive results.

So on this Fourth of July, I'm thankful that I live in the greatest country in the world, where a woman is free to own her own business and create the success and life she desires.