Recently celebrating the 4th of July had me thinking about freedom. In America we have so many freedoms set down by our Constitution and her Bill of Rights. Even if we don’t agree with something that is happening in government at the federal, state or local level we have freedom to complain about it, vote, move, run for office, petition, rally, etc.

The word free makes me think of riding with the top down and the wind blowing through my hair without a care in the world. While that’s what it makes me think of, my reality is that freedom for me is not working in a job where I disagree with the values of the organization; leaving an abusive relationship; and living and loving on purpose. The word free might mean something totally different to you. It could be the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want. It could mean being out of a situation that held you captive. It could mean just knowing you have the choices that you do. It is as much a feeling as it is something you do and are.

As Americans we are so blessed to live in a country where we have freedom to choose so many things. We have freedom to speak up. We have freedom to pursue our happiness. We are free to do nothing.

Yet so many of us don’t live as if we have all of these freedoms. We take our own freedoms away by chaining ourselves to responsibilities that hold us down and clip our wings. We are in bondage to obligations, stress, work, success, goals, etc. Whatever it is that is keeping you busy, is it worth it? Have your goals become monsters that hold you captive and take your joy away? Do you willingly hand over the keys to your freedom by signing up for one more thing because you think that is what you need to do to get ahead?

There are things that we have to do as adult humans. I’m not referring to things that are mandatory to keeping your children alive or your job intact. What I’m referring to are the things we think we need to be doing. Even a dream can hold you captive if you let it. You can put every waking hour and all of your effort in to it that it becomes a burden instead of a bonus.

Are you chained to your goals as if you have to meet them or else? Do you live in fear of not getting your to-do list all checked off? Are you running so fast that all you are doing is twisting the rope around the pole holding you in place? Are you busy being busy?

You have the freedom to do and be anything. If you are reading this in the USA, you really do. You might have to work hard to get out of an old situation, away from something bad to head for the good, but you literally have the freedom to do and be.

So how do you break the chains and become free? The first step is realizing what is holding you in place. For example: Is stress and being over-whelmed keeping you stuck? Could you say no to some things? Could you add some therapy or a yoga class, some breath-work or meditation, for managing the stress.

Go down your list of what is keeping you stuck. What is making you feel not free? Is it a job? A relationship? A situation? Many situations? Take tiny steps, cut one link of the chain at a time to get you where you want to be in terms of your freedom.