This a great time to be an independent, financially free woman! But how many of us are taking advantage of this possibility?

At any stage of your life you can begin again. Dream again, make a difference again, no matter how far you have travelled from your aspirations and goals.

Women help others fulfill their dreams everyday, yet leave their own dreams in the hands of others.

The truth is that no one will treat you better than you treat yourself.

So, what are YOUR dreams? Are they being realized? One of the biggest obstacle to accomplishing a self-directed life, is lack of money.

No matter how many people tell you that money is not important, the reality is that it is, and those people who say it isn't are usually quite broke.

Money buys you back the freedom to spend your time the way YOU want to. Money does not buy you happiness, it buys you the things that you want that make you happy.

Want to spend more time with your young family? Want to travel, give to other family members, support your charitable causes, send your kids to good schools? What pays for that? Money!

There are many reasons why women lag behind men financially. Women take an average of 10 years off to raise their children, they may run up against the "glass ceiling" at work or have to take pay cuts to keep a job. Whatever the reason, women are starting businesses at twice the rate of all businesses.

I am happy to report that women are on their way to financial independence. Armed with information, opportunity and the desire to be the architects of their destiny, women are taking financial control of their lives.

"About 88% of baby boomer women have sole or joint responsibility for making financial decisions for themselves and their families.