On this 4th of July, we may be thinking only of the excitement and fun that comes with a 3-day weekend or we may be thinking about warm weather, beaches, lakes, picnics, and fun with family and friends. For me, it means having another day to do things around my home, spend quiet time with Paul, read, and continue to write.
Table Of Contents
- Wheel of Life
- Freedom Is:
- Core Values Index
- Personal Integrity
- Free Workshop
- Are You Sitting Too Comfortably
Wheel Of Life
What do you really think when someone says they want freedom? As a life coach, I would ask where this loss of freedom is coming from. If you are not sure, I would suggest we begin with the Wheel of Life which enables you to define what level of happiness you are experiencing in each area of your life:
- Money
- Career
- Health
- Recreation
- Environment
- Community
- Family
- Friends
- Partner
- Learning
- Spirituality
In this blog, we’ll explore what freedom means and how we can use this concept in our everyday lives. We’ll also look at some of the ways people struggle with having too much or too little freedom! Most of us yearn for balance in our lives, yet often we find we do too little or too much.
Freedom is…
A human need. It’s not just some abstract idea; it has real consequences for our lives, and we should understand how freedom can be used to improve the world by first learning what freedom means to us. We don’t want to take anyone else’s power of freedom; we just want the freedom to be who we are.
Universal— but we don’t all experience it in the same way. Personal freedom is where we begin today.
The ability to say no. It’s the ability to make choices, and it’s a human need. To have freedom, you must be able to exercise your power of choice. However, there is tremendous responsibility for making choices for what is right for you individually may be very harmful to others. This is why having your own personal code of ethics is where one begins to determine what is right or wrong for them.
Core Values Index
Before taking the test, I listed my core values as I saw myself:
- Kindness
- Respect
- Integrity
- Compassion
- Fairness
- Ethical
- Self-Respect
- Trustworthy
- Strong work ethic
- Honesty
- Personal & Professional Growth
Based on CVI test assessment, I am an innovator who operates from a place of wisdom and love.
I’m including a Core Values List which I would encourage you to review before taking a core values assessment to see how closely they align. Although I chose the CVI model, Develop Good Habits has several quizzes for you to consider.
What is my point in sharing all of this? My point is that if we are remotely self-reflective, we know ourselves at our core. Then again, I can’t resist a test to just be sure I’m on target. 😊
After assessing yourself, the ideal is to work towards honoring your strengths and mitigating your weaknesses. My strength for personal development is both a strength and weakness as I don’t know when to stop! What are your strengths and weaknesses?
When we choose to trade our values for something material or superficial, it diminishes the importance of what really matters in life—the people around us and our own well-being. If you want to live a life with integrity, it’s important that you understand what that means. While choice is important, it’s not as important as our personal integrity.
Personal Integrity
Integrity means doing the right thing even when it’s difficult— and sometimes choosing not to make a choice at all. It’s about being true to yourself and your values, no matter what others may say or think about them. This can be challenging for many people today because there are so many choices available! While this abundance of options might seem like a good thing (and sometimes it is), it also tends to lead us away from making decisions based on our core beliefs rather than simply going along with what feels comfortable or convenient now.
Free Workshop
As citizens of the United States and most Western Countries, freedom is part of our identity. It is important to consider what freedom is to each of us and how expressing that freedom impacts those around us. Most importantly, ask yourself if you are using your freedoms of choice meaningfully. I believe we were all born to become our highest self. Once we have moved past raising small children, we often find we have time to explore other options. This is where freedom of choice comes in and the point of this blog. How are you using your time? Are you stuck in a routine and don’t know how to reset? Click this link for one of the worksheets I use in my “Free Workshop”, called Are You Sitting (Too) Comfortably?
We should never make choices based solely on what other people expect from us; we are responsible for choosing our own course in life with care even when we’re unsure about what’s next. Freedom is a human need, and it’s up to each one of us to be mindful of how we use this most precious resource in our lives.
Happy Independence Day! May Freedom Ring.
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