Lately we talked about letting go of the chaos in our lives. Have you made any changes since then? Today I’d like to talk a little about the ones I’ve made so far, and how they’ve since affected my overall well-being. I’m sleeping better, I have *slightly* less anxiety, and my home is becoming less stressed. If you haven’t so far, what changes could you make in the next week to see a better outcome in the next month? Let’s talk about it.

Quest for Balance

When we as humans feel unstoppable, it’s a great feeling. It’s also a feeling that can eventually cause us to hit a wall, since the fact is, that we are only human. It’s hard to face this reality at times, especially in the 2020s. Everything moves quickly, life is so fast-paced every second of every day. And if you’re lucky, the angst hasn’t hit you yet. The world keeps turning even if we do catch the bug, but learning how to then manage it throughout our day to day can be another monster. Finding that balance in all that we do is the hardest task I’ve faced yet as an adult, and my goal in this blog is to help at least one more person through it. We make changes, we live with them. Then we make more changes, and we live with those. We tidy, clean up, fix our broken homes and broken souls, only to be met with yet another challenge at the finish line. It’s endless. But I’m here for you. Finding balance is something we’re told by therapists, healers, self-care books and talk show hosts. It’s no secret anymore that self-care is to be prioritized over all else. The more we consume however, the less we remember to embrace the life that’s unfolding before us. We get so sucked in by their verbiage, their excellent branding, celebrities showing us “how to” live a life that’s full, while they don’t even have a full life themselves. What even is a full life? What does that mean to you?? Related:  Lost and Found: Finding Yourself and Gaining Clarity In Life

Freedom is the Answer

Long ago I thought it meant having more freedom. Freedom to gain more things, more knowledge and more access to things I couldn’t reach. At nearly 33 years young, I’m beginning to realize that I had been partially right in my youth. Freedom is the answer. Freedom is the thing to strive for. Being emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and completely free. That is now what my goal in this life is. Becoming free. Isn’t that something we’ve always strived for as humans? Trigger warning, we’re going to get deep here and talk about something that may jump into topics of uncomfortableness. Whatever race we are, gender, ethnicity or country we’re from, we’ve all strived to become free of reigns from another person, place, company or country has given us. We have gone so far as to fight wars for it. So many as 260 major wars in the world alone since WW1. That’s mind-blowing. How many of those did you know of? We fought for freedom is many different ways. Wherever you are in the world right now, you probably know of one going on not too far away. Today, in September of 2024, we have a different freedom to chase however. The freedom to change our outlook on life, to live life to the fullest, to embrace pure happiness and fulfillment in our days. But how does one accomplish such a task?

The Myth of Freedom

Freedom from ourselves is the necessary evil. As children, we are malleable. We twist and turn with every new experience, allowing those experiences to shape our lives. We become molded by the world around us, by our community, our peers, our loved ones. Those things all become us. They show us “how to” be in the world. “How to” live a happy life. How to “gain freedom.” Therefore, by the time we are grown into adults, life becomes a blur. A blur of who we are “supposed to be,” how we are “supposed to act,” when we are “supposed to hold our tongue or act out.” We cannot grasp when we are locked in our own chambers because we are so entwined by all the rules of the world that we’re too busy to even notice. Once we break free of these invisible chains, we are able to let go. Once we have begun finding our truest selves, only then can we become who we were actually meant to be in this life. We can then form our own plans, thoughts, and opinions. We can then put these plans into place and begin to start acting the way we feel most comfortable, instead of being told what comfortable is supposed to look like. Recently, I’ve begun this journey, and I’m taking you along for the ride. Related: Understanding The Meaning Of Life & Letting Go Of The Chaos    

Want True Freedom?  Be a Dog

My journey today looks something like this. I try a little more each day to embrace Mother Nature. I try a little more each day to take just a few moments of self-care between working and spending time on my relationship. After all, you cannot be in a thriving relationship with someone else, if you have never dealt with the relationship problems within yourself. I work on keeping less things, less clutter in my home. I find more time to just jump around with my dogs even if it’s just for 3 minutes a day. Dogs are so happy to be alive. They are just pure bliss. Have you ever just started jumping around your dog? They will match your energy in a heartbeat. They are simple creatures that just enjoy every moment that they can get. We should start learning to take something away from those experiences. They nap a lot too. Something I’m also trying to do more of. My husband is not a napper. I’ve begun to realize that you either are or you are not. The point is, that we all recharge in different ways. Finding that way to relax and recharge is of utmost importance when you are forging ahead on the path of freedom. Finding your way through the madness of the chaotic world is hard. And it takes time. A lot of time. Related:  Path To Productivity: My Struggle With Planning And The Perfect Hot Cocoa Recipe  

What is Your Freedom Journey?

Have you put effort in this month to say hello to your family? Family can come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe your family isn’t actually your family at all. Maybe your family is your pets. Or your friends. Or your co-workers. Whatever that looks like to you, feel them. Really embrace the time with them and be present. Let’s put away our multi-tasking minds and stop looking at our phones while we listen to a conversation. Let’s show people around us that we are there for them so you know that when you need them, they will be there for you as well. Understanding what your freedom journey is will be weird. You may not want to share it with the world like I am, but I encourage you to share it to at least one person. One person to trust with your vulnerability, one person to give you feedback and advice. One person to help you overcome this battle and to help guide you into your best self. So many times we’re caught worrying about the trash, straightening up our homes, keeping up with the Kardashians or the Jones’. We stumble through the day to day trying to make it to the next one just counting down the hours, minutes and seconds until we’re free to go home and either drink or sleep ourselves into the next reality. I vote for stopping that cycle. I stand for making a change for yourself, stop worrying about the looks you get when you become obsessed with training. Stop caring about how others feel when you start putting boundaries on your relationships. If you have come this far, keep going. Keep pushing ahead into the darkness, because I promise you, there will be just the slightest glimmer of light when all is said and done. And so far, I’m realizing all of that grueling, frustrating, annoying hard work has been worth it. I guarantee it’ll be worth it for you, too.