“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
- Nelson Mandela
How do the words above resonate with you?
Pause here for a moment and free yourself from distractions:
Take a deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... calm your mind and be present...
Freedom is a word we take for granted.
What does freedom really mean? How would you put that into words...
freedom /noun/
-the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
-absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government.
-the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
How free are you, really? Think about that for a moment...
Psychologist, writer, and teacher in the field of personal growth and relationships, Gay Hendricks, discusses freedom from an interesting perspective. From the book, A year of Living Consciously: 365 Daily Inspirations for Creating a Life of Passion and Purpose...
In some areas of life, freedom can come from building up solid positions and defending them staunchly.
In close personal relationships, this strategy never seems to work very well.
In most of real life, and certainly in intimate life, freedom comes from letting go of your positions, in letting go of defending them.
The moment you realize that there’s nothing to defend, suddenly there’s nothing to defend against.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor E. Frankl
Today’s Challenge: Self-observation and reflection
from Gay Hendricks
1. Take a close look today at your defensive patterns.
2. As you go through the day, notice what your positions are and how you defend them.
3. Did you notice that most of them were built to defend you against things that no longer exist in your life..?
4. Spend time sitting with your thoughts... What did you learn?
“It’s hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your own head.”
-Sally Kempton
What are you willing to do?
Don’t miss your opportunity! Be intentional, encourage others to do the same and watch what happens.
You got this!
Coach Tavia
#beabetteryou, #learnandgrow, #responsibility, #accountability, #youmatter, #honoryourself, #live, #ownyourpower, #ittakescourage, #commitment, #thinkforyourself, #believe, #trustyourself, #beconsistent, #selfawareness, #selfdiscovery, #maximizeyourpotential, #shareyourgifts, #seizeopportunity, #becreative, #reflect, #reach, #stretch, #bepresent, #faith, #confidence, #dothework, #leadbyexample, #justdoit, #lifecoach, #leadershipcoach, #leadershipdevelopment
Reference:
Hendricks, Gay; A year of Living Consciously: 365 Daily Inspirations for Creating a Life of Passion and Purpose. Harper One, New York, NY 1998.
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