From Security to Sovereignty: A Woman’s Journey Toward Financial Freedom

Introduction

This article was written to accompany Dr. Sophie’s presentation at the Independent Women & Financial Freedom event, hosted by The Network at the Luxembourg School of Business on 23 April 2025.

My Story: Awakening to a New Definition of Independence and Freedom 

When I reflect on the theme of this event—Independent Women & Financial Freedom—what emerges for me is not a straight path, but rather an awakening: a movement from unconscious security to intentional sovereignty. It’s been a journey that is deeply personal, emotionally layered, and still evolving.

I grew up in a household marked by emotional instability. My mother was psychologically unwell, and my father—strict and principled—held autonomy as a core value. He repeated it often: You must become autonomous. In our home, independence wasn’t romanticised; it was a survival skill. For me, that translated into a deeply ingrained belief: I needed to provide for myself and for those who depended on me. Financial independence meant securing a stable job. Full stop.

The notion of “freedom” wasn’t present in my early understanding. In fact, I sensed from my upbringing that too much money could be a burden, not a path to liberation. I wasn’t striving for freedom. I was driven by a fear of insecurity—an inherited fear, born from my father’s childhood in poverty.

So I did all the “right” things. I studied hard, earned advanced degrees in engineering and sustainable development, and began working early in high-level international institutions. I was earning excellent salaries and felt financially safe. But slowly, imperceptibly, I began building my life around that sense of security. I became dependent—not on a person, but on the structures that provided that monthly safety net: the institution, the salary, the job title.

And at home, despite being highly educated, I was not the one making strategic financial decisions. My husband, with his financial background, handled that. I often deferred to him—not because I lacked intelligence, but because I lacked confidence and a sense of legitimacy in financial matters.

The rupture came with burnout. It forced me to choose a different path—initially professional, but with wide-reaching personal implications. As I faced the idea of leaving my secure job and stepping into entrepreneurship, I was overcome with fear. I felt paralysed by the unknown. For the first time, I saw how little financial sovereignty I had actually cultivated, and how much I had avoided engaging with money—not just practically, but emotionally and intellectually.

That was the beginning of a new story. A more conscious story. A story where financial freedom became something far richer than income. It became a way of living. It meant understanding myself deeply, making decisions from a place of clarity and intention, and building a life that felt aligned and authentic.

Today, I define financial freedom as the ability to understand, choose, and enjoy my life with emotional safety and autonomy. Not as a reward for success, but as a form of self-leadership.

Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned: It’s an Inside Job

The greatest challenge on this journey wasn’t technical. It wasn’t creating a business plan or managing expenses. It was emotional.

Real transformation—especially when it touches identity, money, and meaning—is not supposed to be easy. And we often expect that moving toward a “better life” should feel good all the time. But it doesn’t. In fact, the discomfort we feel in change is not a sign something’s wrong. It’s a sign we are growing.

I had to learn emotional literacy: to name and sit with fear, grief, shame, confusion. I had to allow for emotional flexibility—to accept that even intentional change can feel destabilising.

And from that emotional work came three central lessons:

1. Financial freedom is an inside job.

I used to rely heavily on external signals—approval from institutions, promotions, credentials—to gauge whether I was “doing well.” But independence and financial sovereignty must be defined and cultivated internally. No one can hand us that definition.

2. It’s your responsibility.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that if we work hard, the system will reward us. But the system was not built to centre women, particularly not in the realm of wealth and leadership. True freedom means accepting that no one is coming to save us—and that we don’t need them to.

3. It’s an active path.

Freedom is not a destination. It is a practice—a lifestyle. It involves action, not just mindset. The idea that we can manifest abundance through thoughts and feelings alone is incomplete. We must act. And in doing so, we begin to embody the person we wish to become.

This journey has led me to surprising places: more peaceful financial conversations at home, deeper connection with my values, and greater courage to say yes to what I want. Once you begin this kind of transformation, you can’t “unsee” what you’ve seen. It becomes part of your evolution—not just financially, but humanly.

Advice to My Younger Self—and to Any Woman Feeling Lost Today

If I could speak to my younger self—or to a woman in the audience wondering where to begin—here’s what I would say:

1. You know more than you think.

Especially when it comes to your money. We’ve internalised the message that finance is not “for us”—but that’s a lie. If something doesn’t make sense to you, it’s not because you’re not capable. It’s because no one has explained it in a way that honours your intelligence and experience. Get curious. Reclaim your literacy.

2. Stop outsourcing your power.

Don’t hide. Don’t delay. Don’t delegate your financial future to a partner, a system, or even a job. It’s yours. And it matters. Especially because the structures we live in still produce inequality—statistically, women retire with significantly less wealth. This isn’t just about freedom; it’s about protection.

3. Let it be meaningful—and let it be fun.

Don’t expect to reach some perfect “there” where everything feels certain and resolved. There will always be complexity. But if you show up with intention and honesty, you can make the process joyful. Use what you’ve got. Start from where you are. And don’t wait to feel ready—you become ready by beginning.

If any of this resonates with you, and you’ve been seeking a space to explore your financial life in a way that’s safe, intelligent, and emotionally grounded—I’d love to invite you to explore the Flourish Financially programme.

Together with my business partner, Minna Schmidt, we’ve built a community and a coaching experience for women ready to transform their financial mindset and rewrite their money stories—on their own terms.

Financial freedom is not about numbers. It’s about reclaiming your voice, your values, and your future.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Sophie