Freedom Challenge: What Does Freedom Mean To Myself and My Husband

Freedom can mean different things to different people. Nelson Mandela during his 27 years in prison stayed free in his mind, and never saw himself as NOT free because he focused on forgiveness. #freedomchallenge

Freedom is by far the most important thing to my husband Jamie. His desire to not feel trapped by anything has been one of his bigger struggles. At one point, he had an extra 100 pounds on him (that he lost forever), but, at the time, he felt trapped by his own body. So, in his mind he saw the little things as not having freedom. He didn't have the freedom to even tie his own shoes at the time with out struggle. After losing the 100 pounds, this is what he learned.

Freedom is a state of mind. When you have gratitude for what you do have, it creates an emotion that gives you freedom. A person can be rich in a mansion with wide open spaces around him, and feel trapped, while Nelson Madela can be imprisoned, but, with a different state of mind, can still feel free.

A child is a great example of emotional freedom. Our five year old grandson acts, laughs, speaks and enjoys moment to moment because he's free. It's fun to be around. Children don't see politics, race, or money, or the other things that may trap us as adults. And that's freedom.

Reminding ourselves that we have the freedom to choose different actions, or different thoughts is really true freedom. If we want more of what makes us happy, we are free to go after them. I'm grateful that I live in a country where I have the opportunity to even think this way, where a lot of people in other countries, survival is their first thought. Yet, they too experience freedom because it's a state of mind, not an imposed condition.

My husband backpacked though Africa and shared stories about how he laughed, sang songs, and danced with people that spoke a completely different language. These people had no material things, and lived in extreme poverty, yet they had joy and freedom in their heart. Freedom is to think less about what you don't have, and enjoy more of what you do have, and contribute to other peoples happiness.

This was a challenge brought to me that I decided to participate in. If you would like to participate - go to
https://steemit.com/freedomchallenge/@sagescrub/freedom-challenge-1-what-does-freedom-mean-to-you-sbd-payout-to-winner

Here are some of the other posts that were created in this challenge so far! If you have made one, and you don't see it here, feel free to drop it in the comments!



@sagescrub - https://steemit.com/freedomchallenge/@sagescrub/freedom-in-my-mind

@minismallholding - https://steemit.com/philosophy/@minismallholding/is-freedom-what-we-think-it-is

@cardoprimo - https://steemit.com/freedomchallenge/@cardoprimo/thoughts-of-an-eco-anarchist-prompt-freedomchallenge

@senorcoconut - https://steemit.com/freedom/@senorcoconut/what-is-freedom

@likedeeler - https://steemit.com/freedomchallenge/@likedeeler/what-does-freedom-mean-to-me

@mountainjewel - https://steemit.com/ecotrain/@mountainjewel/what-does-freedom-mean-to-us

@warpedweaver - https://steemit.com/freedomchallenge/@warpedweaver/what-freedom-means-to-me-freedomchallenge

That is Jamie and I filming some stretching and some interviews at Red Rock! It was SCARY getting onto that rock, but, it was such a beautiful day!!

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