On Independence Day here in the U.S., it occurs to me that we can view freedom in two ways….freedom to….. and freedom from…
In my life, I have the freedom to:
Choose my preferred emotional state, even if the feelings at the moment seem spontaneous and beyond my control.
Decide where to focus my attention, based on return on investment of my time and energy.
Allow myself to be drawn to whomever I welcome into my life; opening the door for new friends.
Have the door swing both ways, so that I can usher those out who are not healthy participants in a shared dance.
Create as much abundance as my gifts and talents warrant; not what society says they are worth.
Share my prosperity with those I choose.
Change my mind and renegotiate agreements, so it is a win-win for myself and others, not just doing what others expect of me.
Provide scrupulous self-care, rather than doing what I have taught people to expect from me, just because I CAN do what they ask.
Set boundaries without feeling like a bitch because I am unwilling to be an unflinching repository for others’ emotions and stopping conversations when it feels like ‘too much’.
Celebrate my life full out!
I express freedom from:
Abuse of any kind; including that dished out by myself.
Overwork and underplay.
Wonder Woman-esque behavior, although a cape would be pretty cool.
Monkey mind inner critic chatter that yammers “Not enough!”
Worry; knowing that it is a waste of imagination.
Unreasonable fear; understanding that it impedes my forward movement and keeps me stuck in the muck.
Imposter syndrome- the delusion that no matter how successful I am, I could let people down and be unreliable.
Scarcity thoughts; certain that I am always cared for and my needs are always being met beautifully.
What are your freedom to’s and freedom from’s?
Let freedom ring and sing!
Photo credit: Pixabay