True personal freedom means being able to do and be with whomever you want whenever you want it. Personal liberty is, for the majority of us, a pipe dream. Obligations that we never wanted, to begin with, have us tethered to the ground. So why do we still find ourselves living a life we don’t want, despite the fact that we know better? Because the truth is too painful to face, we choose to live in delusion. Epictetus, the stoic philosopher, once said: “No one desires to live in deception. “The question is, “Who wants to live a life of deception—tripped up, wrong, ungrounded, whining, stuck in the mud? There is no one. As a result, “no base person is free,” because these people do not live as they please. It’s a given that everything comes at a cost. To put it another way, what does it take to truly be free look like? You must give up the following four things if you want a life where you can do whatever you want.
1. Telling the truth is dishonest.
It is only by seeking the truth that one can be free of deception, lies, and negative thoughts and feelings toward others. The seeker of truth will see everything for what it is. You’ll be stronger if you face the truth, always keep that in mind. We tend to avoid confronting the truth too frequently. We don’t want to face our problems. However, we don’t have problems. It’s just the truth, that’s all. What’s wrong with telling the truth? We all have this sense of loneliness inside of us. We feel restricted. Anxious. That’s what you’re trying to get out of yourself, and it’s working. Be honest with yourself at all times. Face the issue that’s bothering you. Don’t ignore the warning signs. How do people end up in relationships that eat them to death? That’s the question. That’s why people are unable to face their own reflections in the mirror. They never take action and die with regret as a result. Let the lies go. Don’t be deceived by falsehoods. You’ll be liberated as a result of it.
2. Affordability
At first glance, this seems counterintuitive, given that so much of our lives are dedicated to avoiding pain and discomfort. I’m suggesting that you do the exact opposite of what you’ve been doing. Why? For the sake of personal liberty. It’s a simple concept. Nothing can rob you of your serenity once you stop running from pain and embrace it. You’re confident in your ability to handle anything that comes your way. There are many things in life that can bring us sadness and grief. These include death, the loss of a loved one, grief over the loss of a friendship or a breakup, and fear of the unknown. Those are the main things we try to stay away from when we’re out and about. The things that make us feel bad are not something we want to put up with. Why? We’re in pain because we’re afraid of suffering. When you accept it, you’ll discover that suffering is just that—suffering. You will not be broken by it. In fact, you’ll become stronger as a result of the experience. When bad things happen in the future, remember to smile, say “bring it on,” and be free. And don’t be afraid to try new things. Remind yourself to let go of the security you’ve come to expect from your current situation.
3. Anxiety about money
People often say that money is the engine that drives the world’s economies. It’s a matter of fact. Without money, you can’t accomplish much. However, we are concerned that we will run out of funds. That fear is completely unnecessary. To get over your fear of money, you need to do two things:
- Acquire income-producing skills
- Save as much as you can
You’re free to do any type of work you want. And when you have valuable skills and always improve yourself, you will never be out of work. In contrast, if you have a job, and become too loyal to that job, you forget about yourself. You always work for yourself. Never forget that. You are responsible for your own career. And you need to think about yourself first. I prefer to have such an employee to someone who always does what they are told. The former is always trying to grow; the latter accepts the status quo. And then finally, save your money so you can quit any job you have. That’s personal freedom. You work because it’s you want to make yourself useful. Not because you have to. If you want to hear more thoughts on overcoming the fear of money, check out my video about it.
4. Incompatible People
Nobody can thrive on their own. You’re better with good people around you. The problem is that most of us surround ourselves with incompatible people. And we keep those people in our lives because we’re afraid to be alone. That’s the opposite of being free. The free person spends time with people who share the same values. There are millions of people on earth. Seek the ones who are like you. And say goodbye to people who are not like you. Does your partner want to complain and be negative? You will be a prisoner of their emotional energy. Don’t be afraid to be alone. It’s way better than being close to people who drain all your energy. Remember, you can’t change people. It’s better to accept that. Instead of fighting with people who are not compatible with you, create a support system. The word already says it: Find people you want to support. And who also wants to support you.
Personal Freedom Means You Are the Ruler of Your Kingdom
When you live by the rules of others, you’re not free. We behave in a certain way because we think that’s what we should do. We spend time with people we don’t like. We take jobs we’re not good at. We stay in relationships with people we’re not compatible with. That’s all because we don’t realise we have power. You are the maker of your own life. Everything that has happened to you is because you made certain decisions. When you’re unhappy, it’s because of your own doing. You have absolute power to live the way you desire. People who don’t agree with that are fearful. They use excuses like, “that’s easier said than done.” Or they’ll cry, “easy for you to say.” And then they spit out one excuse after the other.
Look, everyone can be free. You can decide to do whatever you want.
- Don’t like to hang out with certain people? Ignore them.
- Don’t like your job? Find another one.
- Don’t like your city? Move to another one.
It’s as simple as that. It doesn’t mean you should always quit everything and be impatient. Remember, always seek the truth, and don’t be afraid to do hard things. If you’re unhappy, a different job or city is not the answer. But you already knew that. Personal freedom means you are the ruler of your own kingdom. Until you recognise that, you can never be free. So, change the way you look at life. Whatever you do, do it because you want to. And live an honourable life. Give up the crap, seek the truth, suffer voluntarily, do hard things, save your money, build real relationships.
