If you’ve known me for awhile may have heard me say; “If I can come to this country from a place where businesses didn’t exist, where some of the most brilliant people lived in poverty, where some of the best books could only be bought on the black market . . . if I can come here and build close to a million-dollar business from scratch — then so can you!”
And I really believe it!
Our recent celebration of July 4th here in the U.S. got me thinking about how far I’ve come – and how much my life has changed since coming to the U.S. in 1992.
I recall looking forward to Sunday afternoons with my dad—we’d visit the black market outside the city to look for books that were being read all over the world – but not available in Ukraine.
One Sunday afternoon when I was about 11, the police decided to clean out the area, and my dad and I ended up running across the railroad not to get caught – shopping for books!
I knew that we had a difficult life in Ukraine, but only after coming to the U.S. did I realize how hard we had it there.
Regardless of how much talent or how many natural abilities you had, unless you had connections you couldn’t get into a good college or even get a decent job.
In 2000, eight years after arriving in the U.S., our local newspaper was interviewing me about my life in Ukraine and my lost citizenship papers. I was really concerned about having this black-market story published, fearing that someone might go after my dad. That fear becomes a habit of thinking from a very young age, and runs deep- and although there’s a lot of freedom in U.S., I never, ever take it for granted.
I teach my clients that to be successful in business you have to have an opinion – a strong, unique opinion that gets you noticed and creates a following. Then one day I realized that in soviet Ukraine you could never do that. You could never voice your opinion to generate publicity, buzz, and attract more clients. Voicing your opinion could even cost you your life.
The U.S. offers all who come here an incredible gift: the opportunity and space to dream big, harness your own natural abilities and take the action necessary to make it a reality.
I couldn’t imagine starting my own business in Ukraine. In fact, the contrast couldn’t be more stark: One of the freelance programmers I hired in Ukraine told me that he was afraid to make too much money, fearing the government would come and take it away.
In fact, without U.S. freedoms, using my four years of intense classical music education, I’d probably be teaching five-year olds “do-re-mi” in some country school with chickens bawking outside the windows.
I recently watched Yakov Smirnoff, a Russian comedian very popular in the 80s, when the second-to-the-last immigration wave in Russia began. He told of how all humor was censored there: you couldn’t joke about sex, politics, or religion – basically the three topics that generate most humor for American comedians!
So freedom means more to me here than celebrating the freedom of America from Britain. To me it also means being free to express myself and teach my kids that they can do or be anything they want – the only limitations are in your mind.
Please share your thoughts!
"Rich in content, rich in reality, and rich in spirit - documents, in detail, profitable
entrepreneurial coaching business models. I
fully endorse this."
"Milana coaches the coaches of the world to a new and much higher level.
Every word she writes is a word an effective coach needs to read."
"...loaded with practical ideas, methods and techniques you can use
immediately to build your coaching business."
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, Milana for sharing your freedom story. It touches my heart and I very much appreciate you sharing your love for the freedom we have here in the U.S. May none of us ever take it for granted.
Milana:
Your story was a real wake up call for me. I take my freedom so very much for granted, yet I know that if my grandparents had not had the courage to come over from Ukraine (yes!) and Kiev so many years ago, your early story could have been mine, too.
When one of my Russian uncles visited us in the early 70s, he was astonished to the point of weeping at the sight of the aisles full of food at our local supermarket. He had never experienced such a dizzying array of food, such an easy abundance of goods and fresh produce all in one place.
I need to remember his story and yours, especially during these tough times. These times are really not so tough after all. We are free.
Thanks for the reminder.
Margie Cherry
Dear Milana,
How fortunate WE are to have YOU in this country !! Only with fresh eyes and an open heart and mind can the freedoms and blessings of the American life be truly understood.
So many people in this country have chosen to be jaded and cynical about nearly every aspect of life, not only within the framework of their freedoms and advantages of US citizenship, but about the world and Life in general. I am saddened by this, and find it impossible to understand or accept. It hurts to feel strongly about things, but it hurts worse not to feel at all.
Thank you for having the courage to change your life course and join the American Journey…..and for creating this amazing career you have developed. You have much to teach us, and are doing so in a lovely way.
Blessings to you and all your family, and Happy 4th of July,
Melissa C Williams
Boise, Idaho
I heard an Italian movie director say that ” … Americans don’t really understand the American dream…” He said that it takes being born in different country to truly embrace what it means to enjoy the freedoms that people who were born and raised in the U.S. take for granted. I think this mindset affects our work ethic, too. Thank for the post.
I absolutely agree and understand. My parents immigrated from Estonia so I was raised with the same work ethic as you and belief that America is the land of opportunity where anyone can become anything they desire. The only requirement is that we must be willing to work for it.
My parents came to Ellis Island with only one suitcase of rags, no money and not even a working knowledge of the English language. I finally learned to speak English when I went to school.
Please believe me, if Milana can do it and I can do it, YOU can do it.
God bless America!
Milana:
I too consider myself fortunate and grateful to live in this country. I moved here from Colombia when I was 6 and have become a full blown American, gladly. I have gone back and have memories of what it was like to live there and I can say with full conviction that there are many people in this country that don’t understand what they are taking for granted. Thank you for sharing your story and continuing to inspire us with your brilliance and generosity of spirit.
As I grow my business, I think about how fortunate I am here to be able to have a business like this in a country like this.
Thank you again.
Lia
It’s fascinating to discover so many people who have roots elsewhere – I just happen to be living in the U.S. since the age of 19, so the other kind of life is still very fresh in my mind.
I am touched and inspired by your comments! Thank you!
Milana
Hello Milana,
Thanks for your warm email and for sharing a bit of your personal story, it is very humbling yet inspiring all at once.
I was born in this very free part of the world and that’s probably why, like so many others, take it for granted.
I absolutely adore books and grew up surrounded by thousands of them in my home as a child and now have thousands of my own, so I cannot even imagine having to sneak around to acquire them on the black market.
Milana, I am so pleased for your success and the way you appreciate it.
I am not experiencing much online success, one reason being that I am not focused on any one thing.
I am not sure how we first connected, but I am glad that you keep in touch with me.
I hope to soon have some success to share with you.
Be well, always!
Yvonne Finn