Turning within to find freedom

Do you ever wonder why we are so entangled in what is going on outside ourselves rather than within? Facebook, Famous people’s lives, Instagram, Snapchat, television, etc. When you watch the news, you find yourself scared of something you didn’t even know about it. A friend tells you about a sighting of a bear on a trail you always hike on. Suddenly, fear rushes in, and now you don’t want to hike on your favorite trail. We often allow the occurrences outside ourselves to determine how we think and how we react.

What if you no longer needed external validation from the outside world for your identity and how you feel. Feeling solid and grounded in who you are is a courageous, although freeing process.

How do I obtain this freedom?

Mentally reframe what you are telling yourself.

When you watch the news, and you see something you are scared of, asking yourself is this happening in the current moment. The answer is no. Therefore, the fear is unreasonable and coming from the external you. Our life is in the present moment, and there is no reason to be wondering in the past or the future. When we live life outside the present moment, we miss out on the fruit of the beautiful journey. “You are not in the future, for it is yet to be, and the past is over, so let it be.”

Now, after being rational about it, you find you continue to be scared. The fear of death is at the top of the list for most people. This underlying fear is more of what is causing all of our fear in the first place—the fear of losing ourself, our possessions, and our relationship to the world.

A big part of freedom is releasing our fear of death. We try most of our lives to search for the light outside ourselves when it is within. It all starts from birth when we are born such a precious and innocent being. Helpless and needing our parent’s tender love and care for survival. As time goes on to continue to receive love, we become what our parents want us to become. Therefore we feel loved. We abandon ourselves for love from an outside source.

We endlessly, from then on, search for it in all we do. We don’t only need it from our parents, but from teachers, partners, friends, and diplomas. If that doesn’t satisfy us, we win races, start companies, get another degree and buy expensive objects to validate us as feeling loved.

We keep searching and searching to find unhappiness in the end. Each accomplishment and each relationship doesn't seem to fulfill us. We have excuses why not. We don’t understand the discontentment, although we move on to another new task thinking, it will be the one until we feel defeated and tired.

How do I change this never-ending search?

We change to a mindset of needing and wanting to have already all that we need. To never look outside for validation of our worth or ability to be loved. We give it to ourselves instead. When we are whole beings, we no longer search for an outcome in what we do. We do things because we love doing them and for the betterment of humanity as a whole.

We use our body and mind to give our gifts to the world. Those who are blessed give much to the world by being themselves and spreading their blessings. A free being is showing the way to others. When they are free to be yourself, people sense freedom and want to be around it. Giving light and hope to others to be themselves. You don’t cast judgment on another, and the people you encounter feel this as a sense of love they have been yearning for. Do remember that this can’t fulfill them. It can only guide them. They have to find this love inside themselves.

The freedom comes when someone finally finds themselves tired of trying to control and looking so desperately for love outside. Most of the time, this is during a traumatic time with a lot of pain, although it doesn’t have to be. It is the ego breaking down. I know it hurts and when I have hit these points in my life, I knew around the corner was greater understanding and love. Some say your breakdown is your break through, and in this case, it is precisely what happens. You literally can’t live the same anymore. It wears you out, and you realize after all you have done, you aren’t the one in control. All the striving never brought you to the motherland. At this time, surrender happens entirely to the process of living. We are not the controller of what happens.

Whatever does happen is for the betterment of all beings—alas, leaving you without the responsibility of what happens outside of yourself. It allows you to live genuinely from spirit.

Coming from a place of unconditional love and being unconditional love is all we ever have control of—giving as much as we can and knowing that each moment is precious. There is not a moment to waste not being present or giving. A free spirit will give love under any circumstance because that is what they are—always returning love even for hate, for they come to shine a light on all humanity. “Does the sun only shine on the good people or the pretty plants? No, it shines on all.” by Michael De Angelo.

Giving does not mean you have to be out doing a million things for people. Being present and emanating your light is lighting the world. Don’t ever discount yourself or what you have to give. You have more than you know or perceive to give. Start sharing yourself with the world today and helping the world to more freedom. “Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth you owe me. Think of what a love like that can do. It lights up the whole world.” by Wayne Dyer