Week 19 – The Second Part….

To those who follow my blog, you should recognize the video.  It was attached to last weeks blog as well.  this week I have decided to continue on from my last weeks work and look at my situation a little more critically.  Paul in the Tedx Talk describes “The 5 Steps to Freedom”; I want to look at these steps in comparison to the journey I find myself on today.  The Talk obviously resonated with me not only because of the genuineness of the speaker, but the obstacles he overcame to achieve his freedom.  In essence is that not what we all want, all dream about… Freedom?

So here is the video again if you didn’t watch it, take the opportunity now.

Paul’s “5 Steps to Freedom”

1. BORN FREE
2. BREAK OUT
3. MAKE THE ESCAPE
4. FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM
5. LIVING FREE

A quick definition before we start:

freedom

noun

1.  the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint:

2.  exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.

3.  the power to determine action without restraint.

4.  political or national independence.

5.  personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery

6.  exemption from the presence of anything specified

7.  the absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.

8.  ease or facility of movement or action

9.  frankness of manner or speech.

10.  general exemption or immunity:  freedom from taxation.

11.  the absence of ceremony or reserve.

12.  a liberty taken.

13.  a particular immunity or privilege enjoyed

14.  civil liberty, as opposed to subjection to an arbitrary or despotic government.

15.  the right to enjoy all the privileges or special rights of citizenship, membership, etc., in a community or the like.

16.  the right to frequent, enjoy, or use at will

17.  Philosophy. the power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination.  Compare necessity (def 7).

 

Freedom can mean any one of these or several of the definitions, you decide for yourself.  (I’m partial to 2 & 17 in this case).

My take on where I am at in my quest for Freedom.

BORN FREE

I think we can all agree and as I mentioned last week we are all born free, born into greatness.  From there the decisions we make and the life choices we follow bring us to where we are now.  Where we are at today is irrelevant in the greater plan of things; however, knowing where we are at is extremely critical.  Its not double speak.  Wherever you are, you are, enough said.  Knowing where you are is the most important part to starting off on any journey.  (if you did’t know where you were on a map, but you had a destination in mind, how could you decide which direction to take to get the destination?)

For me I am in the only now starting to ‘really’ take stock of the position I’m in.  I know now where I am as a person, a citizen, a father, husband and most importantly a servant.  All these terms will have different meanings for each of us, so its best to know yours as they apply to you and your situation.

BREAK OUT

Really it should come as no surprise that the first step in breaking out of our current situation is that we must choose to do so and it doesn’t end there.  If we understand that staying in the known, (the situation we are currently in), is easier; then breaking into new ground, (where we want to go), is harder.  If we stay where we are, there exists no need to commit to the goals of the desired singe, we accept no responsibility and we continue to exist.  However, to accomplish this change we must motivate ourselves by how badly we wish to change.  Do we truly want to become the new person we envision.

if yes, then we hit the first threshold, do we see change as impossible and disappointment as inevitable? or Do we truly commit to the possibility?  If this is true then we need to identify WHY we want to change for our own reason, not for other peoples reason.  (Not to please a loved one, a parent, a mentor or community leader, not to be recognized for outward compensation or recognition), it has to be for ourselves and within ourselves.

Wanting the change is not enough, it takes action.  the actions are the direct activity required to achieve the change, be exercise or business activity for spiritual growth, the required actions must be preformed and committed to by ourselves for ourselves, otherwise it is not form with in and not sustainable.

For me I have begun to see the actions that I must commit to, up to this point I have not truly answered the call of my herald to my “Hero’s Journey” (Spoke about the journey in Week 17 HJ Post, video only https://www.youtube.com/embed/yZxs_jGN7Pg?rel=0” target=”_blank”>Here .  One of the requirements for me over the next week is to reconnect to my primary service to others.  I will not try to direct this service which is believe the unsustainable factor in ht e recent past.

MAKE THE ESCAPE

 

We need to take steps that reduce the gap between where we are and where we want to be.  Again knowing where we are at is critical.  If we don’t act quickly to start the escape, then change will seem beyond your reach; so to beat this you must get specific about what you want to do, not how you are going to do it.  The specifics of how you’re going to do it come about for the actions you take to commit to the change.  This also means clearly specified goals, (the SMART acronym is a good starting point, Specific, Measurable, {stick partial completion, mid, 3/4 and 90% markers to measure your accomplishment to these goals, Achievable, Realistic, (losing a 100 lbs in three days is neither achievable nor realistic), Time Oriented, (as with measurable, stick a specific fixed date and time to do each action and to assess each previously assessed measuring point).  Whether you hot the measuring points on time, early or late is irrelevant, as you achieve them you will have learned, changed and Achieved Success on the path to your Purpose.

Your purpose can not be vague, to set a vague purpose set us up to believe we have done enough when in fact we have not,

What we do right now is what allow us to focus on achieving your purpose for change.

I have a clear Definiteness of Purpose, set achievements I wish to see, and service I continue to be committed to.  I must make more measurable specific partial markers so keep myself in the know… to remain committed to the change I must remind myself of my growth.

FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM

To achieve your purpose, you must welcome any obstacles, (objections), you encounter.  Conquering obstacles is the legacy to help you to fight for your freedom.  Fighting through these obstacles is how we develop our capacity for change.  The struggle gives us the “Will Power” to make our purpose happen.

The will power and discipline are achieved through practice and application, you are not born with or without this capacity, you develop it though action and activity.  Together they help us develop “Tenacity”.  The fights best won are those fought with Allies.  Remember the MMA, (Master Mind Alliance), this is two or more people working together toward a common focus.

I find myself in the first stage of my three stage rocket, (Thanks Brad for a great analogy).  I have begun to see the changes in behaviour and effort, I have begun to take action.  My will power and discipline are not yet a matter of routine and I must keep to these in order to break free.  So as the sub-title says, I will fight for my freedom.

LIVING FREE

“it’s a journey not and event!”

The price of freedom is on going, it does not end with the achievement of the stated purpose.  If your purpose has been achieved, you now need to continue to recognize and avoid the “innocent / easy” choices that put us back into our old behaviours.  Continue to use the positive responses to the obstacles we have and will encounter.   Realize that we will have times of weakness and poorly made decisions, however, these do not define us.  How we recover and pick ourselves up from these determine how we carry on each time.  We all have this capacity.  We are all connected as Haanel says to the Universal Mind.

For me I will state, “I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy.”

Late Note:  To Mark J, I read your Week 18 blog just now and wanted to say thanks.  As i read the blog it really helped me identify where I am and some sticking points I have struggled with personally, ones that without you, Davene, Trish Marea and the staff at MKE, identifying them I would not have seen until some time later.  It was reassuring and trust building to be reaffirmed that this is not just “Some Course”, it’s a Journey of self discovery with great friends and an in-tune group of guides.  Truly and MKMMA Experience.