We all want more freedom in our lives. We all want the freedom to make choices, set goals, and pursue meaningful work.
Yet, the extent of our personal freedom can vary, and much of it comes down to the decisions we make on a daily basis. While inherent freedom exists within all of us, deliberately refining our time management, finances, and habits can significantly amplify our sense of personal freedom.
What is Freedom in Life?
You always have the option to quit your job, relocate, or end detrimental relationships, but does having these options equate to genuine freedom in life? Not precisely.
Real freedom is defined by our ability to act without constraints, and limitations can pervade various aspects of our lives. For instance, financial constraints may hinder you from leaving a job and exploring new opportunities. Health constraints may impact your physical well-being, preventing you from participating in activities such as running marathons or living without pain.
The more you can decrease these limitations — in every area of your life — the freer you’ll be.
3 Ways to Create Freedom in Your Life
To increase your sense of personal freedom, consider making changes in these three key areas of your life.
1. Freedom of Time
Having more free time opens a world of possibilities and expands your potential for freedom in various areas of your life. With this surplus of free time, you can engage in activities that help you meet your goals and hobbies — whether that involves honing your skills through a class, enjoying quality time with loved ones, or dedicating yourself to fitness. However, acquiring extra free time is no simple feat.
Start freeing up time by prioritizing and investing in yourself. To invest in your well-being, it’s essential you establish clear boundaries with others. While boundary-setting might pose challenges for some people, it’s a crucial step to take in protecting your time and energy.
Once you’ve reclaimed your time and fortified these healthy boundaries, it’s crucial to master effective time management skills. This mastery empowers you to use the precious time you’ve reclaimed wisely and purposefully.
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If you’re struggling to prioritize yourself, you may discover that you’re confronting negativity in your life and your mindset. By retraining your mind to think more positively, you can begin to free yourself from all the emotional and mental baggage you might be carrying around.
As Daniel Seigel points out in a recent Berkeley article, “You can use your mind to shift the patterns in your relationships with others and in your brain. You are not a captive prisoner, even though your mental filters will tend to move you into old patterns. Getting lost in familiar places is a natural vulnerability we all have; using your mind and your capacity to be aware is how you can find your way.”
Make sure that you don’t have a fixed mindset and that you’re practicing a growth mindset instead. When you have a growth mindset and empowering beliefs, you will open the door to more freedom and opportunities for yourself.
3. Freedom of Wealth
In addition to freedom of time and freedom of self, many people struggle with financial freedom. Without financial freedom, you spend your time pursuing wealth, and your daily decisions become heavily dictated by your financial circumstances. When your life is entirely bound to your bank account, your choices become severely limited.
To attain greater financial freedom, you can start by addressing indicators of poor financial health, such as excessive debt or a low credit score. Improving your credit score is essential, as it opens doors to significant opportunities such as securing mortgages and substantial loans. Manage your debt more effectively to alleviate stress and avoid becoming cash-poor, which restricts your day-to-day spending power (and freedom).
With financial freedom, you can invest in assets that enhance your purchasing power, enabling you to acquire not only cars and homes but also businesses and other valuable investments. Additionally, the financial freedom you provide yourself through assets and investments also helps you live with more freedom of time, as you increase possibilities for your retirement and passive income streams.
The Bottom Line
By improving your time management, finances, and habits, you can significantly enhance your sense of personal freedom. While every individual has a right to freedom, many people underutilize it. Far too frequently, people unwittingly exchange their freedom of time, wealth, and self for the sake of convenience.
Need a little help creating more freedom in your life? Learn how an Arootah coach can help you. Schedule a free, 30-minute introductory call with an Arootah Life Coach today.