Hey friends, Chase here.

If you're feeling anxious about money right now, you're not alone. Shrinking budgets, AI headlines, and general chaos have a lot of us questioning our value. The default move? Grab the nearest paycheck. But here's the truth: trading your dreams for short-term security is the fastest way to kill the life you actually want.

Don't trade your dreams for security.

Paying the bills matters—we've all been there. I waited tables in the early days of my photography career just to get by. But that was never the goal. The real goal was building a life with freedom at its core. Because freedom is what fuels creativity. It's what lets you chase the projects, the art, and the opportunities that light you up.

Your future self is begging you not to settle. Fear says play it safe. Freedom says create. Every time you choose freedom—whether that's carving out an hour to shoot, write, or build—you're moving closer to the life you want.

Here's what we get into:

• Why chasing paychecks without purpose keeps you stuck
• How designing for freedom fuels creativity (and opportunity)
• What Paris taught me about building a framework for creative living
• Why clarity + momentum are the secret weapons for designing your life
• How to balance short-term security with long-term vision

The big idea? Money matters. Security matters. But if you sacrifice your vision just to feel safe, you'll never build the life you know you're capable of living. Freedom isn't something you wait for—it's something you design, one intentional choice at a time.

Until next time—stay free, stay bold, and keep creating.