According to the dictionary, here are a couple of meanings for the word ‘free’:
- not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or be done as one wishes
- not physically restrained, obstructed or fixed; unimpeded
Are you free? Do you feel you are free to be who you want to be, who you were meant to be, who you really are? Or do you have constraints holding you under some type of control?
The constraints I’m referring to are things like:
- Fear of what others might think, you don’t want people to think you aren’t ‘normal’
- Afraid to do something wrong in the eyes of another
- Afraid to do something wrong in your OWN eyes
- This is the way it’s always been done so I don’t want to rock the boat
- This is what is expected of me so I better go along
None of these ‘constraints’ are physical, but does that make them any less real?
So then are you really free?
How would your life be different if there were no constraints?
- You no longer are worried about what others’ think. Really, what others’ think or say about you is none of your business anyway. 🙂
- You are no longer afraid of doing something wrong. It’s not right or wrong, you know, no matter how things turn out, you’ve learned something.
- You realize others have expectations of you, but it’s ‘their’ expectations, not yours. So you are willing to let them have their expectations about whatever they want, while you are free to have your own.
- You’ve decided it’s OK to rock the boat and many times you are willing to rock the boat gently.
Being free to be you doesn’t mean you don’t love and care about those around you. On the contrary. It means you are following your heart and would like their support and acceptance. It means you feel comfortable enough with them to be who you are. It means you are willing to support and accept them when they express their 'freedom to be' as well.
