Freedom comes to mind when I think about this holiday. There are probably as many concepts of freedom as there are minds that can think. I would like to address a particular kind of freedom here…the freedom from our own limited thinking.
To me, the opposite of freedom is bondage. Our thoughts and feelings dictate whether we are living a life of freedom or one of bondage. The obvious choice is a life of freedom. That is, if we have set a high priority for ourselves of feeling good!!! If we are committed to being happy in our lives, there a number of things we can let go of that might otherwise pull us toward feeling ‘stuck’.
First, we are never really stuck. Our state depends on what we focus on. If we turn our radio dial to 104.7 and we don’t like the music, we are free and quite capable to tuning into a different channel/frequency. We are not stuck with having to listen to music that doesn’t make us feel good…we simply need to switch to a more pleasing one.
Second, focusing on the good in any aspect of our lives will in turn allow more opportunities for pleasing thoughts to accumulate in our minds and hearts.
Finally, I mentioned there were things we could let go of that would provide more freedom in our lives. What comes to mind are complaining, judging, comparing, overthinking, blame, guilt and the like. These behaviors/ways of thinking are like shackles. They bind us to unpleasantness all around.
Instead, I recommend focusing on your own spectacular being, a special trait of someone you love, each breath you take, anything that makes you smile, allowing a wellspring of gratitude to burst though you via acts of love and appreciation, immersing yourself in the pure joy of being alive, laughing as often as possible, and more focus on what your heart speaks to you rather than your head.
If you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, rather than try to figure out how to fix or change it via analyzing it yourself or discussion with another (headwork and unproductive), take a deep breath and focus on the energy running through your hands and every other part of your body (really feel it), the miracle of involuntary working organs, the sun that rises and sets each day…and soon enough you will find yourself in a state of calm and non-thought. This is where your freedom lies. Life may seem lighter and filled with more joy.
It may take a few seconds or a half an hour to shift your focus, but it is truly worth the time. Let you energy flow away from any concerns and toward the miracle of your life. Be conscious of your choices and your thoughts and become free to live in the bliss you were created to experience!
Begin today to choose freedom! Have a joyous holiday and a blissful life!