The Luxury of Living In Freedom!

When I looked up the actual definition of freedom I found, “the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.” This definition got me thinking, if we have the luxury of enjoying so many freedoms, why do most of us still live our lives like we are imprisoned, enslaved and chained down? Freedom comes in many forms such as: the freedom to speak, think, learn and worship in a way we all choose to. We are privy to making our own choices and yet we allow society’s expectations, other people’s opinions and perceptions tie us down and hinder us from living our lives in freedom.

Over the years I have allowed many chains to hold me back from living a free life. I have allowed body image to control my happiness. I’ve had the perception that I needed to look a certain way to be happy and for other people to like me. I have allowed money to control my happiness. I’ve felt like I needed to make more money to keep up with my friends and maintain a certain image. I have allowed other people’s opinions and expectations influence my decision making. Also, I have chained myself to people who do not make me happy. Every single one of these chains have held me back because I allowed the fear of not being accepted control who I was instead of being my true authentic self.

I lived my life with these chains attached for years but over time I began to feel unsatisfied, trapped, tired from pleasing others and exhausted from being someone I am not. I would bet I am not alone in this struggle. Most of you reading this have probably experienced a similar situation. I’m not surprised because so many of us have subconsciously allowed society to teach us to look a certain way, feel a certain way, act a certain way and that success is measured a certain way. But honestly no one is to blame but ourselves because we have ALLOWED IT!

Think back to life when you were a kid and how free you felt. As a child I worried about which bathing suit I was going to wear to the pool, how I was going to get out of being “it” in the game of hide and go seek and being home when the streetlights came on. I didn’t worry about what I looked like in a bathing suit, I was just excited to be at the pool. I didn’t worry about if other people thought I should be playing hide and go seek or not, I played because it was fun. Lastly, I didn’t worry about if the other kids had to be home when the streetlights came on because if I wanted to play the next day that was what time I had to be home, PERIOD! Life was simple then but over the years I have allowed society’s influences to clutter my life and make it more complex than it should be. I have allowed society’s perceptions chain me down from being who I am meant to be. If God wanted us to all be the same, he would have created us all the same. Can you even imagine that? Wouldn’t life be boring?

We have all made choices at some point that have allowed chains to attach and hold us back from who we are. The great news is thousands of men and women have sacrificed their lives and fought for our country so we can enjoy the luxury of freedom and live our lives without being chained down. It’s time we all enjoy the luxury freedom and unleash the chains that are holding us back.

Your chains may be different from mine. You might struggle with addiction, anxiety, jealousy, debt, etc.. However, I bet your chains have left you feeling similar to the way mine made me feel; tired, fed up, trapped, unsatisfied and conflicted. You have the control to set yourself free from these self-inflicted chains. You can decide to unlatch the chains and live your life in freedom. Stop allowing society’s influences, other people’s opinions and false perceptions to enslave your life. Set yourself free and be your true self. We are all blessed with our own unique talents and strengths. Allow yours to shine and dare to be different! It’s what makes us all great. Freedom is having the right to make choices. It starts with you and the decision to make a change. DO IT FOR YOU!