Is Freedom an Illusion?

Let me ask you a question: Do you live a life of freedom or bondage?

Before you disregard my question, let me explain…

It’s possible to choose bondage in a culture of freedom

I was born and raised in a communist country and I personally experienced not being able to do what I wanted, dress how I wanted or buy what I wanted. When communism fell, I saw many struggle to keep up with the changes and handle their newly gained freedom.

Some jumped on new opportunities, opened new businesses, left the country or changed careers. Others gave in to their anger and confusion. The country was free, but sadly, some people’s minds were still held captive.

Even though I live in a free country now, I see a lot of the same stuff around me every day. People THINK they’re free, but in reality, they don’t even understand freedom. They’re trying to cope with it by heading in the opposite direction.

This shows in many ways, let me just mention a couple…

1. Not understanding who YOU ARE

Doing things just because someone else is expecting you to do them is not going to set you free. You must know your own strengths, weaknesses and focus on what you’re good at. You can’t live a truly free life without starting with yourself. To live a free life, you must first BE free!

2. Sticking to WHAT WAS

Freedom looks at opportunities, while bondage sticks to what was. Bondage holds you back from moving forward, dreaming bigger dreams and tackling new goals. Freedom allows you to dream, act and achieve.

3. Restraining others

Just like boundary-less people over step other’s boundaries, those living in bondage do their best to win those living in freedom over. Pay close attention to who you’re surrounded by and how they’re allowing you to be yourself. Being true to yourself is always a better choice, even if it means losing some “friends” along the way.

Question: What actions do you need to take to step into true freedom? What would true freedom look like for you? Let me know in the comments below.