I know most of you have heard it said that we should never expect something for nothing. However, if I’m going to keep it one hundred, most of us are always looking for something that won’t cost us anything. In other words, “free”. I know I’m not the only one who likes the way the word free rolls off my tongue, but I am just like everyone else who gets excited whenever I feel I have gotten something of value without paying for it.
Regardless of our station in life, old or young; rich or poor; black or white; great or small, we always like to think we have received maximum value for a minimum price. Many of us have a hard time containing our enthusiasm when we think we have gotten the benefit of a great deal, but we are disappointed when our bargain doesn’t work out the way we envisioned. That’s when we realize “Free” isn’t always “Free”; therefore, it becomes imperative that we apply the correct valuation to the things that are important to us in our lives; otherwise, we will find ourselves being short-changed every time.
To most people, freedom is one of those things that sounds like it should be free, but real freedom always comes with a price. Freedom to me means being able to do the things I want to do, when I want to do them. However, someone else might think of freedom as the ability to say whatever they want to say whenever they want to say it. Regardless of how you define freedom the most important thing is to never take it for granted because it can easily be taken away. As you continue to read, let’s talk about five ways we can hinder our own freedom to become what we want to become and do what we want to do.
1. Holding On To The Past
Continually holding on to the past is one way we can inhibit our freedom. Most of us can’t hold on to past hurts and disappointments without holding ourselves hostage to those past hurts and disappointments. When you continue to hang on to the past you can never fully embrace the new and exciting things that may lie ahead. There must be a concerted effort to provide closure and eliminate unnecessary baggage that will weigh you down. Every effort should be made to settle the past so your view to the future is unencumbered. Those things that can’t be immediately resolved should be relegated to a low priority until they can be appropriately addressed and/or discarded. The time, energy and resources you will need to help you secure the freedom you seek will be so much easier to achieve if your pathway is clear and free from things you can’t change.
2. Holding On To Fear.
Fear is one of those instincts that every living creature has access to as a protective mechanism against danger. All life forms whether they be animal or human have been given the ability to sense when their safety is being compromised. However, human beings unlike animals have the ability to use their imagination and intuition to help them synthesize and process through information they encounter. Sometimes our imagination can get out of balance with the reality of a situation which causes us to create unrealistic thoughts and ideas that have no basis in fact, but these ideas may feel real because our imagination convinces us they are true.
When we allow our fears to get out of sync with the facts we will find ourselves being held back from things we want to do. That’s why we must learn how to face our fears especially when we don’t have a reasonable basis for those fears. Overcoming unchecked fear has a way of giving you freedom that you never thought possible, but can open the door to unimaginable opportunities. Learning to confront your fears will add a new dimension of possibility beyond your wildest dreams and can open the door to a deeper and fuller life.
3. Lack Of Preparation
How prepared are you to handle your freedom? Some people are ill-prepared to handle their freedom because they have not done the necessary work to prepare themselves. It doesn’t always mean you must be a college graduate or a wealthy entrepreneur, but it means you have taken advantage of the resources that are available to you. Sometimes we take too much for granted without realizing the responsibility that goes along with the freedom we seek.
We need to understand that freedom doesn’t always mean you can do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it, but what it really means is to do the things you need and want to do without infringing on the rights of others to do what they need and want to do as well. It is the ability to work together with others as you carve out a place for yourself among the millions of others who want the same things that you want. There are always unexpected hindrances, but our job is to minimize the excuses and maximize the possibilities.
4. Missed Opportunities
One of the most disappointing things that can ever happen is to have a great opportunity within your grasp, but you aren’t ready to take advantage of that opportunity when it arises. Preparation means that you have all the resources and information you need ready to go when the time is right. It is said that when opportunity knocks you must be ready to answer immediately because it may never come again. I am not sure if great opportunities only come by once, but I know whenever it comes, we must be ready to go. If you are unprepared for the things that life may bring, you will not have the freedom to make the moves you want and accomplish the goals you have set. You are your most important asset; therefore, you must be willing to invest generously in yourself.
5. Self-Sabotage
Are you a person who seems to sabotage every good thing that comes your way, but you can’t figure out how to get out of this vicious cycle? Well, I’ve got news for you…You aren’t the only one who seems to have this propensity. Many of us have a knack for getting in our own way and hindering our ability to do the things that we want to do in the way we want to do them. In other words we self-sabotage. Sometimes we are totally unaware that we are the cause of our stagnation, but there are other times we are choosing the wrong path with our eyes wide open.
The first thing we need to do is recognize this character trait and stop it immediately. I know you think this is easier said than done and you may be right, but things will never change unless you make a conscious effort to change things. If what you are doing isn’t working, then it is time to try some different tactics to get what you want.
Second, don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice from those who are doing the things you want to do. Recognize that there is always a price to pay to get what you want, so don’t take the cheap way out because you probably won’t be happy with the results.
Third, make sure you have the right attitude when it comes to the value and importance you place on the things you want to accomplish. Only you know how much your freedom is worth to you. We all want to stand up and raise our banners high when we think of the freedom we possess to accomplish the things we want to do in life, but it is up to us to recognize the price we must pay to maintain the freedom we say we want. Additionally, if we don’t understand how we are holding ourselves back, we will inevitably continue to experience frustration and anxiety over our stagnation which hinders us from moving forward.
Now that we have discussed some ways you could be hindering your own freedom to a bright and successful future, don’t you think it’s time to do something to obtain the freedom you deserve? The path that will bring you the happiness you seek may not be like that of another, but at the end of the day we all want the same things out of life—Opportunity to excel. Make sure you leave a comment if there are other ways we are hindering our freedom to the life we want to live.
