WHERE DO YOU GIVE UP YOUR FREEDOM?
As the date to celebrate our country’s freedom has once again come about, I can’t help but think about what freedom means to me-what shape it takes in my life. As I lean into the emotions that the word “FREEDOM” elicits in my soul, very clear images come up for me. These images reflect choice, ingenuity, authenticity, inner joy, self-respect, and love, amongst others. Freedom is one of those words that holds very strong connotations for most, but those connotations can be different for each of us.
What does freedom mean to you? When you allow that word to wash over you, what does it bring up? Take a few minutes to contemplate this. If you can, jot down a few of the key emotions, sensations, and images that come up for you. Once you have that all clear, I want you to consider where in your life you allow yourself to be imprisoned. I will venture a guess and say that it is likely that several of the places where you are not free are under the lock and key of “should have”, “should be” and “have to”. What would happen if you changed the “should be” to “could be” or the “should have” to “could” or the “have to” to “get to”. It seems like something so small, but the power of changing these perspectives can mean the difference between a life of freedom or a life of imprisonment-Imprisonment by the constant judgment that we lay upon ourselves, our circumstances, and those around us.
So, I invite you to take the time to reflect on the areas of your life where you have been feeling resistance/heaviness/stuckness/imprisonment. Write down the beliefs that you hold in regards to those areas of your life and all the “should” statements that go along with those beliefs. Allow those to percolate for a few days and simply seed your “Sage” brain with the question: How can I create freedom here?; Remembering what freedom means to you. Trust that you hold the answer to this question- it is within you, as is the key to liberty.
Happy Fourth of July!
(Editors Note: yes, we are a few days late getting this out. Sorry.)
