Inner freedom fighters unite

VIVE LA LIBERTÉ  - VIVA LA LIBERTAD - LÄNGE LEVE FRIHETEN- TRĂIASCĂ LIBERTATEA -লং লাইভ স্বাধীনতা -תחי חירות  - LEVE DE VRIJHEID  -自由萬歲- FREEDOM BE LONG - OPERI LIBERTAS 

After more than a few coaching conversations this week, I wondered how I might help people loosen their self-imposed straightjackets.

How can we be freer? 
How can we loosen the excessive rules we impose on ourselves and, inadvertently, on others? Wouldn’t we feel lighter if our fears and inordinate worries about making mistakes and repercussions would abate?

Because we live in Canada, where we are free from geo-political unrest, systemic violence and war, we are in a privileged position to cultivate inner freedom, more so than so many others across the globe.

Inner and outer freedom are not to be confused – outer freedom is what allows us for the most part to move about freely and safely. We are protected by civil and personal rights.

I am most grateful for this freedom.

What is inner freedom or personal freedom?

Here is an interesting paradox: I have been on a quest for personal freedom as long as I can remember and yet I haven’t defined this for myself.

I’m going to give it crack here – but apologize in advance that this will not be an expert or scholarly piece of work, nor well argued philosophically. More, an exploration into how being a inner freedom fighter “isn’t such a bad preoccupation.”  

Creating the framework for inner freedom

• Living morally – knowing you have tried each day to minimize harm done to others through careless comments, mean-spirited character attacks, strong judgments  (and the like)
• Making an effort on a regular basis to be kind and helpful to others and not jump to conclusions or negative assumptions too quickly
  
• Having purposeful or at least decent work, love, courage in the face of difficulty
  
• Keeping a reasonable diet, getting exercise, meditating, relaxing and having gratitude

Benefits of inner freedom

• Freer and easier movement of thoughts, feeling and actions – removing the stumbling blocks of hard core beliefs, “shoulds” and “should nots”
• Softening of the edges, more comfort in your own skin  – able to interact easily with all kinds of people
• Reduction in the rehashing and retelling of grievances and old stories
  
• A greater sense of humor
  
• An acceptance of our complicated and contradictory selves - without the need to hide certain aspects of ourselves  (e.g. You can be a vegan but not compost or be a meat-eating composter)

 
Inner freedom offers a quieter mind, a mind at peace, a lightness of being and a sense of unity and of balance.

It's worth the fight,
Peace
Coach Minda