So that happened this week. There’s a lot that could be said, and a lot I’ll refrain from saying, but I did want to send a courtesy note to say, first of all, that my new online business mentorship program is still moving forward—and starts tomorrow—and second, that holy moly, it’s about so much more than your career.

You know, I’d never thought too much about online business as something that could save the world—at least, not in much more than happy horseshit kumbaya sense—but as the events of the week unfolded, it seems more and more critical to give yourself as many options as you can.

Back in the day, when I was all, “YES I’M GOING TO TRAVEL THE GLOBE AND WRITE FROM MY MACBOOK AND DO WORK THAT FEELS MEANINGFUL AND GET TO KNOW WHO I AM WHEN I’M NOT SUFFOCATED BY ONE SINGULAR CULTURE’S VIEW OF THE WORLD,” it was more about personal freedom and a well-lived life, than anything. I used online business as a tool to give me the kind of lifestyle that I wanted—one that allowed me to work from anywhere, and do the kind of work that my twisted little soul was craving. And it was great. Scratch that—it was the most phenomenal thing I’ve ever done. And it continues to be phenomenal, nearly ten years since I started. I’m writing this right now from Costa Rica, where I have a seasonal home, and earlier this year spent the summer in Europe, to England, Italy and Switzerland, and before that was frolicking in Tulum, Mexico, and just recently got back from a trip to Philly, Chicago, and LA.

But, you know, originating from a small town in Northeastern Pennsylvania—one of the areas that likely made a difference in this election—I didn’t realize until just this week how much all the learning, and the travel, and the business, and the experiences, and simply having the opportunity to live as a citizen of the world, as opposed to the citizen of one tiny corner of the world, has been about so much more than pleasure and fulfillment. It’s been about living an intelligent, curiosity-driven life. It’s been about growing. And expanding. And experiencing. It’s been about seeing. And feeling. And exploring. And you know what it’s really been about? Not the money and the success and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah BLAH—that’s really just the superficial stuff—it’s about principle. And dignity. And self-respect. And options.

I never wanted to feel like a prisoner to a 9-5 career, and I never wanted to feel like a prisoner to my own life, but now, I’m tacking this onto this list: I never want to feel like a prisoner to my own president. And to circumstances outside of my control. And to ideas that are unconscionable.

Which is why online business is about so much more than your career—

—it’s about personal sovereignty.

And that kind of freedom? Well, that might just be the greatest gift of all…no matter the political climate.

Rooting for you, and for all of us,

Ash