True Freedom

We’ve heard stories of people that have taken prison sentences and transformed them into opportunities of spiritual development, or those who have taken extremely challenging life circumstances like tragic deaths and came out the other end, and people who don’t have the financial freedom to travel or not worry about paying the bills, but who feel joyous and free on the inside.

How is that possible?

While there are certainly many inalienable human rights that can help to define what freedom is, that’s not the freedom I’m talking about here, because I’m sure you can think of plenty of people that are privileged to have those rights, like people who travel freely, work freely, have freedom of speech and freedom to go to school, and yet they feel suffocated and stifled.

They might feel like like they will never know their true self, or live their true life.

They feel anything but free - even though on the outside it seems they are.

Some of the first things my clients say when I ask them “what does a life of freedom look like?” is that they want:

:: a location-independent lifestyle

:: to be their own boss

:: or have enough money to do what they want and not stress about finances.

But what’s interesting is in all my years of working with people to create more freedom in their lives, they are surprised when they finally achieve those things yet they still find themselves...wanting.

They feel anything but free, even though everything is lining up with what freedom looks like on the outside.

Here’s what I want you to consider: for the work we’re doing here on our minds, I’m talking about internal freedom. Emotional freedom.

And this Freedom – the kind of freedom no one can take away from you – is a feeling.

When it comes down to it, feeling free actually has very little to do with what the world looks like on the outside.

The reason why is those things my clients listed off that were a part of their perception of freedom are external freedoms. They are measured against us being able to DO/be something without involvement from others.

Now external freedom is important - especially when it comes down to the human rights that we are constantly fighting for, and then to the right you have to create the life you are meant to live. But those alone will not help you feel free.

There are different currencies of freedom.

1. time
2. money
3. energy
4. creativity
5. location

While these are currencies of freedom, they are not to be confused with freedom itself.

Notice that these also have to do with the freedom TO do things.

To travel

To work from the beach

To buy what you want

To do what you want on your own timelines

There is a difference between freedom To and freedom FROM

And we often forget about freedom FROM

Freedom FROM never being happy.

Freedom FROM never being satisfied.

Freedom FROM insecurity and self-doubt and negative self-talk

Freedom FROM fear

So how do you get to this internal freedom? This emotional freedom?

True freedom is when YOU are able to fully accept you, be you, love you… and also accept things as they are.

It means you are also going to be willing to feel whatever feeling is arising - you are willing to feel any emotion.

Think about it - the reason we do anything is because of how we think it will make us feel - that it will help us feel better or to help us avoid feeling pain.

Often, we don’t take the action we want to because we are afraid of theoretical risks - usually of experiencing failure, or embarrassment, or humiliation.

These are all “just” emotions.

Yet we let the fear of feeling them keep us from honoring our truth, from creating the life we are meant to live

We are imprisoned by fear, by never feeling like it is “enough” - and consequently we don’t feel free.

If you want true freedom – deep freedom – it starts with going within.

It can be easy to get distracted by the external freedoms, and trying to shape your life into the perfect little scenario where you don’t have to rely on anyone, or answer to anyone.

But take it from someone with over 20 different certifications, 3 graduate degrees, 3+ places to live (read: run away to), and over a dozen ways I’ve learned to make money in case myriad things happen to the economy or political state so that I will always have my needs met: it doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t really free on the inside.

It only means that you stop wishing things were different, and get on with actively creating the world you want, while (and here’s the clincher) accepting and loving you and all the present moment has to offer.

Until you are able to pull that off, you won’t ever truly feel free, no matter how many beaches you take your laptop to for work, or how many Instagram photos you post about your travels. You’ll perhaps feel badass and very adventurous…but not deeply free.

In this episode you’ll learn:

:: Three ways to create TRUE freedom

:: Some of the most common misconceptions people have about freedom

:: Why it’s not just about being able to work from anywhere and having adventures (even though all those things are the bomb diggity!)

:: What the 5 currencies of freedom are

Resources:

// For a limited time, click here to download my free 7-Day Clarity +Courage Course

// If you’re new to the squad, grab the starter kit I created at RebelBuddhist.com. It has all you need to start creating a life of more freedom, adventure, and purpose. You’ll get access to the private Facebook group where you can ask me questions! Once you join, there’s also a weekly FB live called Wake the F*ck Up Wednesday, where you can ask questions that come up as you do this work – in all parts of your life.

// If you’re interested in a really awesome way to make the next year your best one yet, join Freedom School. It will set you up to live the best version of you in the year to come. This is an amazing group of rebel women committed to creating lives of freedom, adventure and purpose. You can even gift a Freedom School membership to someone that you know could use the boost and come together! You’ll dive into getting clear about: what you want, how to clear your life of the things you don’t, skills for living an authentic life so you are out there being YOU and not what other people want you to be, and more.

If creating the life you love includes drinking less in the New Year, Freedom School also gives you access to Drink Less, Feel Free, a 4-week program where you learn ways to free yourself from overdrinking. The tools here worked for me – and hundreds of others. You can also give it as a gift to someone you love that has repeatedly told you they wish they didn’t always overdrink. Life is too short to waste hungover or feeling guilty, right? Plus, saying you’ll do something and then not doing it screws with your self-confidence. This program is set up to give you the support and accountability you need.

Click here to learn more.