So, let’s start with a question: what exactly is freedom?

Thousands of books have been written around the concept. Films have been made to celebrate it. And it has propelled millions of people throughout history to leave everything they know in pursuit of it. 

Freedom is a basic human need. Throughout history, freedom has played a central role in social progress, and welfare development. Scientific papers have even confirmed that freedom can protect against natural disasters, social troubles, and economic problems.

In short: freedom is important in all of our lives. Of course, it’s hard to be completely free in this interconnected world. But there are ways to incorporate a bit more freedom into your daily life.

These are some ways you might be able to do that:  

Define what freedom means to you

Freedom is a universal concept. It is generally defined by people around the world as choosing what you want to do. It is defined as living the life you want to live and going wherever you want to go. 

But freedom is actually more situational than it might appear. 

For one person, freedom might mean finally being able to start their own business or begin working as a freelancer. While freedom for someone else might mean travelling around the world and not being stuck in one place for too long. Another person might define freedom as being able to spend more time with their family.

Freedom can mean different things to different people. It is therefore important to define what freedom means to you personally. Only then you can actively try and pursue this freedom and incorporate it more into your own life.

Do you find yourself feeling the freest when going on adventurous hikes? Plan them once every month. Or does being your own boss sound appealing to you? See if you can already put some steps towards starting a freelancing career.

Most people feel truly free when they are at their happiest. The best advice then to experience more freedom in your life is to do what makes you happy as often as possible.
 

Try to primarily do what you love 

As the saying goes: do what you love, and you never work a day in your life. Of course, work could never be only just doing what you love. Even if you do manage to pursue a career you love, there will always be some days you do not like or do not experience as much joy in your work.

In other words, there will always be a work aspect to your work. Some tasks you might just not like as much will still have to be done. And this is for the lucky ones that can turn their hobby into a full-time job. You might just simply not have a choice in getting a dream job as food needs to be put on the table. 

However, there are still some ways to add passion and a sense of freedom to your job. One way would be to volunteer for projects or tasks at your less-than-ideal job that you actually would like to do.

Are they asking for someone to help out with that fashion client at your marketing job? Maybe you can be part of the group working for this client. Or is there an opportunity to volunteer at that next work event where that one inspirational speaker you love will stop by? Volunteer to help organise and you might be able to meet them.

These are just some examples of how you might find something you love in any job. Finding this joy and feeling of ‘I want to be here right now’ will translate into a greater feeling of living in the moment and freedom. No matter how small this feeling might be, it might just help you get either through your day or pick up the courage to find your true passion in life. 

Try to visit the places where you experience freedom 

Just as freedom means something different to everyone, people also feel free in different places.

For some people, it might be the forest where they find true freedom. A forest is ongoing and ever-changing. You never know which animal might turn up on your path this time. Walking through it requires you to be attentive. To see nature as it is in that particular moment. And, more practically, to avoid falling over tree roots sticking out of the ground.

Being this attentive makes you enjoy the moment more as it completely demands your attention and does not leave space for any other worries. Being this attentive slows down time. Time might fly by in your daily life but slows down when you are in a new place discovering new things. 

For other people, the ultimate place to experience freedom might be the sea. There is something about the sea that has fascinated people for centuries.

People have gone on dangerous voyages just to see what is beyond the horizon. It’s a place that truly demands your attention. City skylines may let you wander around your thoughts, but the sea tends to make you forget what you were thinking. It makes you feel a bit smaller even.

The sea is still one of the most unexplored places on earth. We know more about other planets than our own seas. There’s a freedom to the sense of the unknown. The last place on earth where adventures still await. And even just being in proximity of the sea can already give a massive rush of freedom. 

The best way to find some more freedom in your life is to go to the place that makes you feel free. That instils a sense of wonder in you. It might not be a forest or the sea, but that is okay. It’s important to go to that place that lets your mind wander. That lets you make up adventures and stories and make you wonder what could be in the depth of the ocean or beyond the horizon. The place lets you escape everyday life and step into adventure. 

Even if you can just visit once in a while, it is such a nice change from day-to-day life and makes you feel a lot freer and more adventurous. 

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