Patrick Mosher breaks freedom into five arenas: financial, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. He asks you to identify your minimum requirements in each through journaling, then add a sixth arena of guilty pleasures. The point: recognize what actually makes you feel free now, not after you hit some distant goal.
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We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776. 244 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress here in the United States, we set aside an entire day to celebrate freedom. Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, free at last." Martin Luther King, "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. So what does it mean to be free? Well, when we think about personal freedom, I challenge my clients with this question: What are your minimum requirements for personal freedom? With a puzzled look on their face, they usually ask, well, what do you mean by personal freedom? I divide personal freedom into 5 arenas: financial, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. So I encourage you to take some time to journal these 5 questions. Number 1: What are your minimum requirements for financial freedom? A hint: this, this might be a number you need to hit in your bank accounts to feel financially secure. Maybe it's a salary to attain, or Or maybe a revenue target for your business. Question number 2, what are your minimum requirements for physical freedom? Perhaps this is an ideal weight, an ideal time in a race. Maybe it's a range of motion you'll attain, or maybe it's the number of pushups you're, you'll be able to do. Question number 3, what are your minimum requirements for emotional freedom? Perhaps this describes an aspiration of finding a place or a group of friends where you can safely express your deepest emotions. What are your minimum requirements for psychological freedom? Perhaps these are your core values to navigate difficult situations or the self-talk you use to motivate yourself. Or maybe this This is your search for a group of people with whom you can brainstorm and evaluate bravely creative ideas. And number 5, what are your minimum requirements for spiritual freedom? Perhaps this is how many moments in a month when you feel divine presence. Moments when the universe opens up and you get a glimpse of infinity. Feeling a little slice of serenity. Oh, personal freedom feels so good. And just for fun, here's a 6th arena of personal freedom that I call guilty pleasures. So here's 2 of my guilty pleasures. Number 1: my dad always kept the thermostat at 65 degrees in the winter, and growing up, my fingers and toes always got so cold. So I adopted my first guilty pleasure as soon as I left home. My thermostat is always set at 72 degrees in the winter. And this guilty pleasure number 2: I like to eat out wherever and with whomever and not worry about the cost, because sharing an intimate meal with my significant other should always be extravagant, and sharing a meal with a group of friends or clients should be enjoyed with good food and free flow of conversation. Because a good meal generates freedom of expression. So what are your minimum requirements for 2 to 3 guilty pleasures? As the Declaration of Independence states, freedom allows us the pursuit of happiness. And I have a problem with the pursuit of happiness. Do this, do that, do this, do that, and only then will you achieve happiness. Why in the world would I hold my happiness hostage until I attain self-made goals and expectations of some sense of personal freedom? That's why I ask the question, what are your minimum requirements for personal freedom? By identifying the minimum requirements, you can attain happiness in shorter and shorter intervals. In fact, do you want to meet your minimum requirements for personal freedom and achieve happiness right now, simply answer these 5 questions. What financial freedom do I have right now? Write that down. What physical freedom do I have right now? Write that one down. What emotional freedom do I have right now? Write that down. What psychological freedom do I have right now? And write that down. And finally, what spiritual freedom do I have right now? Write that down. By celebrating minimum requirements of personal freedom, you generate a deep sense of gratitude and happiness right now. So wow, you can feel happy now and pursue happiness at the same time. I want to share with you a quote from a singer on America's Got Talent. Her name is Nightbirde, and she's suffering from cancer. And she shared that she only has a 2% chance of survival with the severe cancer that she has. And here's the quote after she sang her song. They asked her a question and she said, You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy. Decide to be happy.
