The merchants make money by selling us stuff. That's cool – we all have to eat. The question is, are the merchants selling you freedom or dependence?

Will that Weight Loss 3-meal a day delivery plan give you freedom from disease, or just dependence on an unhealthy regimen that makes it slightly easier to reduce your caloric intake?

Will that huge hunk of gym equipment in your basement allow you to exercise anywhere and anytime, or will it tie you to a lonely, dull regimented workout that leaves your body imbalanced and fundamentally unequipped to deal with real life?

Do you habitually gear down through recreational drugs, or TV; or do you know how to breathe and think to find inner balance under whatever circumstances life throws at you?

Once you take a single step toward freedom, you start seeing additional steps in every direction.

Here's a video that blew my mind a little bit. I'm no water-skier, so I see it as a metaphor for finding freedom by letting go of external crutches. See what you think. Oh, the guy in the video is a new friend, Lane "Dawg" Bowers, and he swears he can teach this to anyone. I haven't taken him up on his offer yet, but if you'd like to give his method a free test-drive, click here.

Enjoy!