In Honour of Your Freedom (Part 1)
/(2014 March 28) Inspired by Nisha Moodley’s Fierce Fabulous Free blog post “
Lessons from a year of courage
”, I’ve only included here what complements my message, but I hope you get time to read it yourself.
You – Put “ME” On That Checklist
Put
“ME”
at the top of your checklist – enjoying “me”, grooming “me”, loving “my” appearance, exercising, eating healthily, drinking water, learning “me” – simply being “me”. Every aspect of “ME” is
critical to your success,
so you need to be consciously “ME”. It is a whole version of YOU that
can recognize and enjoy success when it comes.
YOU are important.
Boundaries – Not Walls
ME-time reveals
boundaries,
your comforts and perceived limitations. Sure “get out of your comfort zone” to explore your potential, but
‘know your comfort zone’ first.
Boundaries keep you
safe, comfortable
and
confident in your
right to be
– spirit, soul (mind, emotions) and body – while allowing you to
let the right experiences and people
in – or out.
Walls keep whatever’s inside in, and whatever’s outside out; you don’t want that.
Get to know YOU – THEN you’ll be more effective at saving the world.
Live Courageously
Courage is not the absence of fear,
but the drive to push through it. Being true to yourself about your
emotions, thoughts, underlying beliefs
that drive you, goes a long way in helping you
face and then conquer your fears.
Common fears:
Forget failure – fear of
success,
fear of
man
and fear of
emotions.
However impossible your dream,
you will never know what’s possible unless you try.
If you don’t, that will be your greatest regret at 90. Fear of man
(people’s disapproval of your ‘audacity’)
should never hold you back. Emotions – no, no – not just the ladies. This fear is even greater for men.
Emotional IQ (EQ)
is a most sought after leadership trait because when you can
manage your own emotions,
it makes you very effective at dealing with others’ emotions.
No need to run from your fears. Face them and do it anyway.
Learn the Right Lessons
Don’t learn the wrong lessons
from your experiences.
Learn the empowering lessons.
Scenario: You fall off a horse.
Lessons:
This is dangerous. I should be more careful. I should stop riding horses. So often we have an experience and we say,
"I’ll never do ‘X’ again".
Now that that wall is up, what happens when the perfect opportunity comes and “X” is what’s needed to get it?
Learn the empowering lessons and start implementing.
Have One “Thing” You Won’t Give Up
As a workaholic, I can genuinely relate to what Nisha talks about in her
6th Lesson, “It’s good to have a “thing””
.
Working all the time makes you boring
– even if work is fun. I work in social media; boring = sure death.
My one thing is Dance.
I cannot explain the things dance – its kinetics, expression, choreography – does to and for me.
What is your one thing? Why not just do it?
Acknowledge Your Broken Heart
Whether it’s
a break up,
or
the loss of a loved one,
'to thine own self be true.'
In
acknowledging every single feeling
as it comes, you're able to face it. You will heal faster than if you'd tried to bury it. That would be like
trapping a wild cat inside,
rather than letting it out and keeping an eye on it.
The claws will do far more damage inside than out.
If you're true, not letting pride or ego hold on to rage and resentment,
love truly is the outcome of healing.
KEEP DREAMING
It is so easy to lose sight of your vision,
when the horizon doesn't look anything like the image in your head.
It's easier still when you don't
make the time to dream often enough.
The human imagination is among the most powerful things anywhere.
You are your only limitation.
You will be surprised what solutions come when you rest – remove anxiety – silence your negative thoughts (the hard part) and just let options come freely.
NEVER STOP DREAMING.
PART 2 OF HONOURING YOUR FREEDOM
Before you run
,
I want you to really
take the time (21-30 days)
to process this and work it into your schedule. Find out who you are, what you're comfortable with and what you want - what freedom means to you - then go into you with others.
Part 2 addresses the role of Community in attaining Freedom.
