Written by: Sandra Daniele, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Let’s be honest who isn’t craving more freedom in their life after the trials of the past few years. You have been tested and had your limits pushed on all levels and are now ready to reclaim your personal freedom.
Freedom as defined by Oxford Languages is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint; the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
What freedom means to you might be completely different than the official definition, but at the core the desire is to reclaim your sense of purpose, authenticity and personal power.
It’s taking care of yourself instead of running yourself into the ground pleasing everyone around you.
It is taking a stand for yourself, your wants and needs.
It is becoming the best version of yourself and moving from surviving to thriving.
It is giving yourself the grace and space to follow your dreams and do what feels good to you.
It is falling in love with life and reclaiming your passion for living.
While all of that sounds amazing, you are probably wondering how you can actually reclaim your personal freedom.
“My life didn’t please me, so I created my life” – Coco Chanel
If your life doesn’t, please you, then it’s time to consider implementing the following tools to start reclaiming your personal freedom and creating the life you dream about.
1. BREAK FREE FROM THE COMFORT ZONE CHAINS.
Staying in the same place and doing the same thing may feel safe because it is predictable but staying inside the comfort zone is also keeping your freedom locked up.
If you are willing to take risks and step into the discomfort of uncertainty you will reap the rewards.
Nobody likes to be uncomfortable, but to grow as a person you have to break free from your chains. I am going to guess that your current situation isn’t super comfortable, but you have learned to be comfortable in the discomfort.
There is a sweet spot just outside of your comfort zone and that is where you will find the opportunity to reclaim your personal freedom.
Take time to reflect on how your comfort zone is limiting your freedom. What small step can you take to move outside your comfort zone?
2. Do something for yourself you really want to do.
You are bogged down by expectations of parents, your partner, kids, work, or an endless list of others that need or want something from you.
Your to-do list is growing and there isn’t a moment for you. You don’t want to let others down, heck you have been working to please someone since you were a child. First your parents, then teachers, then friends, then partners and bosses.
This is exhausting and takes away your sense of personal freedom.
It is important to ask yourself the question, am I doing things today I really want to be doing.
It may have been a long time since you even thought about doing something for yourself or thought about what's important to you. This may make the idea of honoring yourself and your needs feel uncomfortable.
I encourage you to think about what you have always wanted to do that is within reach right now. Go do it. What emotions flood your thoughts when you envision yourself taking action?
3. Get out of your head and into your heart (intuition)
You can’t get the thought out of your head, you keep thinking about that one thing you said or did. Darn it, if only you had done something different.
You may also look to others for support around decisions you have made, or you look to others to make decisions for you. You have lost touch with your intuition and have forgotten that all the answers you seek are within you.
If you are holding onto thoughts from 1, 2, 3 years ago it is time to let them go. Freedom comes when you refuse to be a victim of your own thoughts. Getting in touch with your internal thoughts allows you to process them and move on.
You may have grown up with the idea that it’s easier to hide your feelings than to talk about them, but this pattern is destructive. It means that your thoughts never get processed – they just spin around your head.
It also leaves your heart feeling empty and is often a cause of the void you are feeling deep inside. The truth is that you probably want to be more open and connected with others but feel afraid of being judged or don’t know how to go about speaking what’s on your heart.
When you have repetitive thoughts, but don’t take action to change them you are allowing those thoughts to have power over you and your life. Letting go of the thoughts not serving you is the path to reclaiming your freedom.
What thought and/or story do you continue to replay?
What’s possible when you stop overthinking and start tuning into your heart/intuition?
4. Release resistance to uncomfortable emotions
I bet you find yourself saying, I don’t know what’s wrong I just feel off. Maybe you have gotten good at labeling these feelings as anxiety, depression, moodiness, or exhaustion. The truth is these feelings that you can’t pinpoint are emotions that you have been ignoring.
The thing with emotions is they are temporary; they come and go. Unless they get ignored then the emotion keeps trying to get your attention and shows up in several different ways until you are finally forced to look at them.
You don’t have to be afraid of your feelings, expressing them is actually very healthy and provides relief from the discomfort you are running from. When you become open to the feelings inside, you can release them and find yourself steps closer to your personal freedom.
Of course, releasing emotions you have been running from for years can be very uncomfortable. When you feel comfortable going deeper with yourself, spend time on these questions.
What emotion (anger, sadness, frustration, fear, etc.) are you avoiding?
How would your life be different if you allowed yourself to feel this emotion?
5. Walk away from comparison
It’s hard not to compare yourself to others when social media provides a constant inflow of beautiful, successful people with perfectly curated homes. It can make you feel like you aren’t enough.
Comparison steals your joy, and your sanity, not to mention the effects on your spending trying to keep up with others. If you can learn to use comparison as a guide, it can lead you to the things you value such as financial freedom, love, or healthy living.
Learning to take your eyes off other people's lives and put them back on creating a life you love will make a difference in your quest for personal freedom.
Take a positive spin on comparison with these two questions.
What does my comparison tell me about my personal desires?
How do I compare to a previous version of myself?
Reclaiming your personal freedom in 2022 and beyond will take work. It will take showing up differently, changing old patterns and recognizing where you get stuck in making changes. If you are interested in further exploration of your personal freedom, this is the work that I do with my clients. Working 1:1 with a certified coach can create huge transformations in your life.
If you would like to explore this topic further, schedule a Curiosity Call and let’s see how we can work to make 2022 a year you love.
Wishing you the happiest New Year and prosperity on your personal journey.
Sandra Daniele, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sandra Daniele is a certified life coach who has helped numerous women break through limiting beliefs that held them back from relationships, jobs, and the life they desired to live. Sandra is passionate about joining women on their journey to self-love and acceptance while guiding them to confidently show up as who they are, not who they think they need to be. She has discovered the secrets to identifying what is most important in life and ho w to live authentically. She gladly shares these secrets with her clients. In her free time, Sandra enjoys beach yoga, reading, and time with family and friends.
