As Americans, we have just celebrated our Independence Day. Independence Day is a day when we, as a country, celebrate the fact that we are free from external control and constraint and to live a life of happiness. In words of the Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
What does this mean to you? What does it mean to live a life free from external control and constraint? To me, it means to live a life that you choose to live. It means using your own internal compass to direct your journey and define what makes you happy. It means not looking outside for approval or acceptance. It is understanding what you want and making it happen. It means not allowing others to dictate what is best for you and what you should do. Looking at your life, are you living a life free of external control and constraint? If you are not, what can you do to move yourself towards living a life that you define?
The Declaration of Independence states that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights should be used as a guide to breaking what constrains you and help you live a life that you want. What does a life you want live look like? What does it feel like? If you had the liberty to do anything, what would that be? What does happiness mean to you? In order to live a life free of external control and constraint, you must first define, picture, and feel what life, liberty, and happiness mean to you and then start creating a path that will get you there.
Our founding fathers did not have a road mad to achieving the life they wanted. Their journey began with knowing what they didn’t want. That helped them later define and create what they did want. They knew what they wanted the new world to look like and began taking steps to creating that world. The first step, was a giant leap. The first step was filled with fear, trepidation, and the unknown, but that didn’t hold them back. They used that fear to propel them towards a world they wanted to create. I am sure the fear of the unknown or failure was great but not greater than the desire to live free of external control and constraint.
Living the life you choose is sometimes hard, but I am here to tell you that it is worth it. In the words of Janis Joplin “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose”. Start living the life you want today and enjoy all the freedom that comes along with it.