Two complex concepts, two sides of the same coin: if we do not consciously exercise our will and do not decide anything ourselves, we are not really free.
Freedom - a big word that (supposedly) means different things to different people. Some - and that is probably many people - understand freedom to mean the absence of constraints of any kind. This starts with daily tasks at work and ends with normal household chores. They neither want to make a decision nor do they want to do anything. The ideal state consists of pleasant idleness. But is that really freedom?
Freedom: Doing nothing or passing the time - is that all there is to it?
Does your life also consist of waiting - for the end of the working day, the weekend, vacation and finally retirement? What is so desirable about that? Then you have and are free - without any tasks, duties or constraints? You can finally relax. And you're bored. So you pass the time somehow, you watch a movie, have a drink - and nothing happens. And you wait. Slowly, the situation starts to get on your nerves, you get upset about little things: The neighbor is exhausting, the rising prices are a cheek, the news is almost unbearable. At least you have some variety - is that what freedom means?
Freedom as the greatest good - for you too?
There is another way: while some people see their personal freedom in doing nothing or passing the time, there are people who set themselves goals. They may use different methods, such as the spoon list or a list of goals that they still want to achieve. This can be something big that is not so easy to achieve. Some people want to leave something substantial, something lasting or even a dent in the universe. The only thing they have in common is that they want something - and they want it actively and decisively.
By wanting something, you exercise your will - and your freedom. So the insight is: freedom lies in the will that follows the will. This is not about desires that we all harbor, such as different life circumstances. Rather, it is about a genuine will that inevitably leads to action, to active and purposeful action. Everything else is procrastination. If we only talk about how nice it would be, then this counts as a pastime. Let's talk about how beautiful it will be through our actions: That is freedom in action!
Living freedom - how does that work?
To anticipate: You don't need to make lists and define goals. All you need to do is listen to yourself and explore what is inside you. What do you want to unfold and develop? What could a better version of ourselves look and feel like? Then feel this lived longing for fulfillment, for your new existence. You will experience who you are and where your path will take you. I see this as the greatest adventure we can ever experience: lived freedom as the liberation of being.
Of course, you can find your own way, but one thing is certain: we are only free when we exercise our will, when we consciously choose something - an action, a goal, a thing or a person. But what does reality look like? Most people run on automatic, they just are, driving like a train on rails and always straight ahead. This can also be pleasant and relaxing; it is not for nothing that some spiritual schools of thought see this state, which knows neither ego nor volition, as the highest goal. Hand on heart: why do we have free will then?
Free will - as much a gift as a responsibility and a burden
As with all great goods, they are not only a blessing but also a burden: if humanity were to renounce its free will, this could be a great blessing for the earth. The disastrous consequences of many people exercising their will can be seen in our nature and environment. But the good that humanity accomplishes would also be missing. And the special thing that makes us humans special. We have not just been given our will as a nice accessory. If we make decisions and exercise our will, we learn and grow. We continue to develop by recognizing what we do, what is good and what is bad - and deciding how to proceed.
What would it mean to renounce our will? We would turn out to be a fatal mistake of nature because we would not exercise the dangerous free will - we would only vegetate. Can that be the goal of our human existence? Certainly not! No, we should consciously choose this gift in order to learn something new every day, to make mistakes and to make mistakes. This is the only way we can continue to develop - as human beings and as souls.
Become a decision-making champion - now!
The decision is up to you: Break the rut of habit - one step at a time. This way, you can gain new experiences and knowledge, and grow and flourish in more ways than one. And the best thing is that you don't have to take these steps alone. Many things are easier in a community: making decisions, gaining decisiveness, exercising your free will - in the best sense of being human, you will become a master decision-maker. Does that sound exciting to you? Then simply get in touch with us, we look forward to hearing from you!
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