Freedom is Being your TRUE SELF

You cannot gain freedom from something external.

Freedom is being your true self.

To be your true self you do, say, and act how you want to wherever you are and whoever you are with.

This does not mean that you should be a fool or rude. You should still have values and a filter. But it does mean that you do and say things that you want, and you do not let others’ thoughts impact you.

You can achieve this through three steps:

1. Understand yourself

2. Realize that what others think does not matter

3. Practice being your true self

To be your true self, you must first understand who you are and how you want to live.

This may be easy for some but harder for others. You are with yourself every moment of your life, yet we often don’t take a second to go within and learn about ourselves. We are too focused on what’s outside of us.

You learn about yourself by asking questions and seeking answers.

Take some time to go within and answer these questions:

• Who am I?

• What are my values?

• What do I like?

• What do I not like?

• Who do I want to become?

Once you have answers to these, keep them in the front of your mind. Even write them down. Continue to reference them and start acting in a way that aligns with all your answers.

The second step is for you to realize that others thoughts, or your thoughts of what others may think, do not matter to you.

Have you ever desired to do something but became reluctant because thoughts of what others may think of you crept in and flooded your mind? Of course you have. We have all had those thoughts. I have them all the time.

But what I’ve realized is that these thoughts are just illusions.

They don’t exist because you haven’t done the thing you desire yet. Something that has not happened yet doesn’t yet exist.

You won’t ever know what people think of you, unless they say it out loud, and even then, it does not matter to you because you are not responsible for others' thoughts. You are only responsible for your thoughts.

In the book, The Four Agreements, it states to not take things personally. You take things personally because you agree with what is said or what you think someone is thinking. The advice to not take things personally, applies for negative and positive things. Insults or compliments can work against us.

It’s stated that taking things personally is the worst form of selfishness because we make the assumption that everything is about “me”.

No ones’ opinions of you, or even your own opinions of yourself, are necessarily true.

Everyone lives in their own life. We all see the world differently. We all have different belief systems.

So whatever people say or do to you does not matter, because it is not necessarily true. Don’t take it personally because it is just based on their belief system and how they see the world.

You may believe these people or even trust them. They may be your friends or even loved ones. But they see the world differently than you do. They are the main characters in their world and their world is based on their dream and belief system.

Not taking things personally gives you immunity and freedom from all sorts of things. You can have an open heart and mind where no one can hurt you. You can act and say things without fear of being ridiculed, rejected, or embarrassed.

You even free yourself of guilt and self-judgment.

The final step to being your true self is to practice being it!

Children are a great example of people who are their true selves. They do what they want, when they want to, and don’t care what anyone thinks of them. All while they have a huge smile on their face, enjoying life.

The product of being your true self is freedom and enjoyment of life.

If you can’t be who you are, then you are not living. You are just existing in someone else’s world, crafted by their thoughts, judgments, and beliefs.

Break free. Be your true self.

This is freedom.

It starts with understanding yourself and getting out of your own may.

The only person that is preventing you from being your true self is you.