A Personal Growth Perspective

Please don’t misunderstand my intentions. I understand that some people genuinely lack personal freedom. Outside forces have taken it away from them, and they have very real reasons to fear for their lives.

As a white, privileged woman living in the United States, I cannot totally understand that level of lack of personal freedom. I have not experienced it.

Yet, I have been the brunt of prejudice. I have felt unsafe being myself and afraid to take meaningful action. And my relatives were killed because of their religion.

As a Certified High Performance Coach, I look at personal freedom from a personal growth perspective. From this angle, personal freedom grows from within an individual. It’s about how you feel inside, the beliefs you hold, and who you declare yourself to be. It’s about taking responsibility for your identity, your actions, and how you view the world.

Personal freedom is an attitude—a mental outlook and emotional stance. More than that, it’s an identity that grows out of the sense that you can declare who you are, what you stand for, and your commitment to your life and life’s work.

Show Up Authentically and Do Meaningful Things

At its foundation, personal freedom is about your ability to show up fully and authentically as who you are. If you can’t do that—because of internal fears or external circumstances, you lack personal freedom.

Also, at its core, personal freedom involves your ability to do things that are meaningful to you—to pursue your dreams and goals and fulfill your purpose. If you don’t feel able to take that type of action for any reason, you lack personal freedom.