Since my trip to the ocean, I’ve been thinking a lot about freedom. But even more than that, I’ve been thinking about the things that hold us back. The boxes we place ourselves in. As I stood on the beach last week, it was like something in me broke free, the final shred of whatever it is that’s holding me back just came loose. And I realized, every single restraint that I have felt in my life, was my own doing. That box that I was living in…I put myself there.
As children, we observe the world around us. Some of us learn to minimize risk, to be seen and not heard. Some of us learn that it doesn’t matter what we do, no one listens anyway. Some of us learn not to rock the boat in any way. We are constantly observing and adapting to what is going on around us. We are often raised to be quiet and to behave. We aren’t even exactly sure what “behave” means, but we know that when we “act right” we get rewarded.
Unfortunately, for those of us who are rule followers, that carries over into adulthood. I was always trying to do things the right way. No one told me what the right way was exactly, I just had a picture in my head of what that meant. It wan’t my truth, it was someone else’s, but I was carrying it as though it belonged to me. Until last year. Like many of you, last year changed me, but maybe not for the same reason. The pain of last spring and summer brought me to a place of freedom. It forced me to look in the mirror and realize I didn’t really like my life and I really wanted to. It made me realize I had been waiting to live my life. I’m not sure what I was waiting for, but it was as if I had put my life on hold.
I realized that the box that I had been living in, I built for myself. And that I also had the ability to tear it down. That I didn’t have to live my life one certain way, that I could have opinions, ideas and beliefs that were uniquely mine. I am blessed with a family that loves me dearly, no matter what I do, they didn’t put me in a box, I put myself there. Sweet friends, today, may I encourage you to look in the mirror and be honest about what you see. Do you love yourself? Do you love the life you’re living? If the answer is no, may I encourage you to take steps to fall in love with yourself and the life around you? It’s beautiful, right now, exactly where it is. Allow yourself to dream and be careful of the boxes you build. Much love and freedom sweet friends.
