How to Find More Freedom in Your Life - The Surprising Link Between Nature & Our Sovereignty
Freedom. We all want more of it, yet live in a world of inherited cultural norms and values that for many, keep us stuck and conforming to the status quo.
Add to it all of the recent events taking place in our country, and many people are feeling anything BUT free.
But it’s our human nature to want to be free. As little children we want to run wild and express ourselves in the moment. And yet, as we grow up into adults in a world so riddled with rules, restrictions, and societal judgement, our freedoms gradually get taken away.
Or so it may seem. But in fact, after discovering over 983 million Google searches from people wanting more freedom in their lives, I’d like to interject a different perspective - that achieving freedom may be easier than you think.
LET FREEDOM RING
What is freedom?
To me, freedom is how you feel when you are in nature. It is unconfined, free flowing, and essential to your well-being. We as humans feel free when we are ourselves, without self judgement or worry of judgement from others.
What freedom is NOT, is being told what to do. Conforming to social norms “just because”. And being weighed down by lots of “stuff”.
I mean, does anyone really need those extra shoes, the 5 outfit you bought the other day because they were on sale, or that really expensive car that everybody is talking about?
It’s a lot of STUFF. Heavy, extra stuff that keeps us weighted down by it’s meaningless existence, allowing us to “feel good” when we show others what we got, but while inside we are still searching for this concept of freedom that seems to evade us the more we try to find it.
FRESH AIR AND FREEDOM
In the conventional world, nobody teaches us how to “be yourself”. We learn from our parents, from teachers, and from our friends.
But we have one “teacher” that is with us through life. And that is nature. Nature allows us to be ourselves. There are no rules, and no judgements. You can go anywhere, do anything, and be accompanied by anyone.
In the world we now live in - with endless options and rules dictated by the status quo - from social media, technology, and societal standards - the lines between freedom and conformity are blurred. Oftentimes we don’t even realize that our values and beliefs have been affected.
This isn’t about judgement though. It’s about choices. The choices and freedoms available to all of us and then knowing that the things that make us feel confined are dictated by your own standards and values.
LESS IS MORE
Minimalism has become trendy. People often talk about decluttering, simplifying, and living with less.
I’m all for it, but being a minimalist is a state of mind, and not a set of rules. It’s not about deprivation, but redefining “having it all” to not just include material possessions but also, how you live your life.
You can have more freedom and fulfillment in life by being intentional with your resources—time, attention, money, relationships, and material possessions. To take risks, value experiences, and make conscious choices. Once you decide to prioritize the things of value in your life, you’ll find that stepping away from that culture of consuming is like taking wing and being set free. You’ll never want to go back to the way you lived life before.
GO WHERE YOU FEEL MOST ALIVE
Fresh air and freedom. They are one and the same.
In nature we are free. The fresh air, the sounds of birds and the ocean, and the constant movement. It’s free flowing and always changing. And when we are in it, we become a part of it - instinctive, unaffected, and free.
The benefits of being in nature have been documented and studied for hundreds of years. Sun and light positively impact our health in various ways - vitamin D from the UVB rays, nitric oxide causes our blood vessels to relax, resulting in a drop in blood pressure, a lower heart rate, and stress reduction.
It heals our bodies and our minds. And our connection to it energizes our spirit and connection to something greater. This feeling of belonging and feeling nurtured by nature, helps us then want to nurture and save the earth.
SAVING OURSELVES BEFORE WE SAVE THE PLANET
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about sustainability and doing what we can to save our beautiful planet. But perhaps, in order to alter the consumerism and materialistic lifestyles so ingrained in our culture today, we should be talking about freedom instead.
“A quarter million drills were sold last year,
and no one wants a drill. What they want is the hole.”
Theodore Levitt
Nobody wakes up and thinks “I want to live with less” unless they have a greater desire and reason that they want more than the idea of having things. It’s just who we are as humans. We want what we don’t have, and in a world where we glorify people’s materialistic lifestyles, it’s conditioned into our culture.
But thank you 2020. In the year of lockdowns, everyone was forced to reevaluate their lives. With everything from friends, family, and our perceived freedoms taken away, we were forced to go outside in nature.
And it changed our lives. Those that valued nature valued it even more. And those that never spent time outdoors, found a place where they felt...free.
So perhaps, nature really IS the best medicine and as a place where we find freedom, can help people build a connection to the planet, and as a result, want to also help save it in the process.
MORE WAYS TO LIVE LIFE MORE FREELY
1. BE YOURSELF AND DON’T WORRY WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
Be yourself babe. It’s so cliche but as women, we are constantly judging ourselves. Whether it’s your appearance, being worried about offending people, people pleasing… for many, it’s almost habitual.
What are the thoughts in your head about yourself? How we think about and to ourselves inevitably comes out in our actions, reactions and behaviors. Understanding your own beliefs and values - not the ones you were raised with but the ones you truly want to embody and live - then being bold and courageous enough to live them.
2. CHOOSE POSITIVE OVER NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
There are two sides to every situation. Is your glass half empty or half full? Do you live in a friendly universe or a negative one?
We have 60,000 - 80,000 thoughts a day and 95% are the same thoughts we had the day before. Our minds are negatively biased. This means it is up to you to choose your perspective wisely.
Many people live trapped in a prison of their own negative thoughts. Notice which side you default to as life presents the opportunity for choice. The more we focus on becoming aware, the more freedom we gain over negative subconscious behaviors and reactions.
3. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
As the saying goes, “the truth shall set you free.” Having an open and honest relationship with yourself will naturally transition to an honest relationship with others. Even things such as people-pleasing are in fact lies we tell to others in order to appease relationships. But in fact, people-pleasing hurts two people - you and the other person. Honesty and transparency (and choosing to free yourself from the perception that you can control what other people are thinking) frees your mind from stress, worry, and negativity.
4. BUY BETTER, BUY LESS
Buying and having less does not mean deprivation. It’s an adjustment in mindset of the quality you deserve in your life, and the appreciation you have for every little thing you allow into your life.
Less but better “stuff” - better quality food so your health is thriving, better clothes so they last longer, and better choices so you only buy what you really, really want, means you have more time and more freedom to do what you want. To go outside in nature. To be free from the things that weigh you down.
5. GO OUTSIDE AND MOVE EVERYDAY.
Movement is freeing to your soul. Using your body every day impacts both your mental and physical health, and it helps you embody confidence and resilience. Exercise releases endorphins - your body’s ‘feel good’ hormones - and boosts your mood while freeing your mind of negative thoughts.
Taking your movement and exercise outdoors elevates it to a different level. The fresh air, the natural environment - in nature you are free.
6. GET YOUR DAILY DOSE OF SUNSHINE & FRESH AIR
Nature is the cure - literally and figuratively.
Vtamin D is ‘the sunshine vitamin’ and is essential to our health. It not only reduces your risk of cancer, diabetes, and stroke, but it also improves bone & eye health, boosts metabolism & immunity and makes you feel better about life.
Even when the sun is not shining, the fresh air against your skin is invigorating and aligns your natural rhythms with the natural world around you.
Nature is nurturing.
RUN FREE AND STAY WILD
Nature has no straight lines. There are no rules. No expectations.
In nature you are free. You are experiencing. You are learning. You are thinking without constraints.
So next time you feel weighed down by life, perhaps the solution is to just go outside in nature. No judgements. No restrictions. Just freedom and connection to a world of great adventures.