"You can’t change what you’re not aware of" Louise Walker
Inner freedom can be defined as spaciousness in the mind, calmness within, peacefulness of the heart, and an ability to respond from a higher level of awareness, rather than react to situations.
In this article by TDC coach Louise Walker, we’ll explore seven tips to help you start creating inner freedom in your life. These tips are designed to disrupt current ways of thinking, to inspire new ways of being and to allow you to see what is possible.
Tip 1 – Know your “stuff”
The first step towards creating inner freedom is to become aware of your "stuff."
For the purposes of this article, "stuff" refers to the habitual patterns you are running that do not serve you. We all have “stuff”, no matter where we’re at on our journey. For example, a belief we’re not good enough, or a tendency to play the victim in certain situations.
An important point to remember is that: you cannot change what you are not aware of, so it’s really crucial to get objective and recognize your self-sabotage patterns, triggers, limiting beliefs, attachments, and other aspects of your psyche that could be holding you back. Only when we uncover and identify our “stuff”, can we start to free ourselves from it.
Tip 2 – Celebrate yourself rather than judge
Inner freedom isn’t about beating yourself up as you notice your “stuff,” it’s about having compassion for yourself and celebrating yourself for becoming more aware. Once you start to become objective and know your "stuff," it’s essential not to judge it but to instead welcome it in and acknowledge yourself for noticing it – this is a huge step forward in your growth!
Rather than blaming yourself or criticising yourself when you notice your patterns come up, instead practise being mindfully aware of them and witness them, becoming a powerful observer of yourself.
This mindset shift will help you move from being subject to your "stuff," to being objective to it. From this point of higher awareness you then have the choice to respond differently and that is what true inner freedom is all about.
Tip 3 – Apply the potency of acceptance
Another powerful tip for creating inner freedom is to practice acceptance.
Many of us resist what we don't like and wish things were different but this resistance usually creates suffering and the opposite to inner freedom. To clarify, acceptance isn’t “giving up,” acceptance means "I don't like it, I don't want it, but it is as it is."
Once we drop into acceptance, an interesting thing occurs: we take the energy out of the situation and just by accepting something, the energy around that situation or person shifts and neutralises. Acceptance allows us to stop resisting situations and people in life, and instead to start flowing with life, ultimately leading to more inner freedom.
Tip 4 - Let go of trying to get somewhere
Many of us unconsciously block ourselves from truly being content, in a quest of trying to get somewhere – an imaginary place, where we think happiness exists.
Does this conversation sound familiar:
Q: How are you?
A: Oh (sigh), you know, I’m getting there . . .
Getting where? The end destination for all of us in human form is ultimately the end of life. Contentment comes from within. It arises naturally when we stop striving for it. The process of evolution and self-actualization to our highest potential is not a destination that we can reach. It’s a constant unravelling, a continuous letting go, so that we can evolve more and more.
The invitation here is to stop striving to “get somewhere” and to relax into the unravelling of our growth.
Tip 5 - Care less what others think
What if your self-worth was not dependent on others’ feedback? How freeing would that be?
There is power in acknowledging that other people's thoughts about you are their story, not yours. What others think of you says more about them than you. Recognise this and free yourself from the need to be liked by others and focus on fostering your own self-worth. If you didn't need to be liked by others, or if you didn't place your value in other peoples’ opinions of you, how internally free would you be?
Tip 6 – Lose the mask
“Tear off your mask, your face is glorious.” - Rumi
One of the most potent ways to experience inner freedom is to remove the “mask” that we often wear which serves as an unconscious mechanism to protect ourselves. What these “masks” really do is block us from authentic relationships with others – plus it’s tiring trying to be someone else and hide our true selves.
Whether you wear a "professional" mask, a "know it all" mask, or an "I'm scared to be vulnerable" mask, by practising being authentic, you can then drop the mask, and have full permission to be yourself, which allows more inner freedom.
Tip 7 – See through your fears
F.E.A.R = False. Evidence. Appearing. Real.
Recognize that our fears aren't real - often they are based on our perception of reality, rather than reality itself. If you think your fears are real, try writing out the evidence supporting them and you will see that what you write down is actually more fears and beliefs, rather than actual “facts.”
Once we recognize that our fears are not real, we can free ourselves from them. Fear is based on past experiences, false beliefs, or projections about the future. We forget that we experience our fears subjectively and think our fears are objective, as they seem so real. Once we recognize that our fears are not real, we can start to let them go and create more space and freedom within ourselves.
As a developmental coach at TDC, my mission is to support all those I work with to experience more inner freedom.
This is done through a direct and compassionate coaching conversation designed to awaken you to your habitual ways of being, helping you to uncover the “stuff” that might be holding you back. By exploring your inner world, we’re able to lovingly disrupt and reframe your unconscious thinking patterns and beliefs. Discovering the truth of what’s unconsciously running for you, is the pathway to the inner freedom you seek.
Are you curious about what’s possible for you? Is there a stirring within you to look at some of the “stuff” that you’re aware may be blocking you from moving forward? Do you feel ready to unravel your inner world and experience more inner freedom? If so I’d love to invite you to explore coaching with me. Find out more about my developmental coaching services by emailing me at louise@thedesigncoach.com.au or by booking a complimentary Discovery Call via the coaching page on our website. I look forward to supporting you on your journey and witnessing your evolution.
Louise Walker
Developmental Coach for The Design Coach
Find out more about The Design Coach: who we are and what we stand for.
Stay well, and believe in you!
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