On your bare feet on the way to more freedom
Are you, like me, sometimes dreaming of being truly free and experiencing more freedom? Free from all obligations as a mother, daughter, partner, sister, colleague…. Just following your own heart and Joy?
In this blog I share some tips to increase your sense of freedom. I am taking off my shoes and socks and I’m going barefoot on my way to more freedom, will you join me?
Bare feet in the grass
Freedom is not something we can grasp or point to, it is something we can feel! And real freedom just feels tremendously good. When I think of freedom, I think of a girl in a dress walking barefoot through the grass, skipping between flowers smiling at the sun. Of course you can have entire philosophical discussions about what freedom is, or could be. If you search on the definition you will find many. I think the feeling of freedom is different for everyone. Personally I associate freedom with feeling carefree and relaxed, not being limited by obligations or expectations of others or of myself and doing what I most want to do, in other words following my own JOY!
From an early age we want to be free. Toddlers want to take off their coats or get out of the restricting straps of their car seats or baby carriages as quickly as possible. Perhaps you recognize it in your children. But even as adults we continue to “fight” for our freedom. Literally and sometimes figuratively.
More grass!
We experience a sense of freedom especially when we are outside in nature. It turns out that for most people a landscape like the one found in East Africa (the Savannah) is found most beautiful. The favorite landscape of prehistoric man! Plenty of food sources on the ground and in the trees, perfect hunting grounds, good visibility of any approaching calamity, plenty of places to hide from the sun or predators. Such a landscape offers both security and a great deal of freedom.
That explains why we love houses with a view or even a small balcony so much. That’s why we function better and feel more comfortable when we can stare out of the window, preferably at a natural setting. If you have a garden, look for inspiration from garden architect Piet Oudolf. In his beautiful gardens he uses a lot of grasses, exactly what gives us people a feeling of freedom.
If we want more wildness in our lives, we have to be willing to let go of some control.
– Piet Oudolf –
Back at home
The smallest piece of nature can give us a feeling of freedom and joy. It’s not just about beautiful views but also about color, smell, the play of light, the sound of water, temperature, texture, the wind through your hair, humidity. Being in nature or outside gives our senses the freedom to feel, taste, smell, see and hear. In fact, it is essential to feel good!
It’s obvious that most of us like to go into nature, visit a zoo, listen to the birds or the wind, have a pet and fill our house and garden with plants. Nature large or small makes us feel free and healthy, even if we are not aware of it. It calms and makes us feel more carefree. Nature doesn’t obligate you to do anything or expect anything from you, except maybe that you treat it with respect 😉 In nature we can be ourselves completely.
Tips!
Here are some tips to feel more freedom:
- Create “negative space” in your house for example by placing less stuff in your house. This gives more room to move (remember the savannah 😉);
- Hang a hammock or swing!
- Apply plants where and as much as you can, create your own Urban Jungle! Take a look at Summer Rayne Oakes!
- Choose wallpaper and/or photos or paintings with flowers, leaves or landscapes;
- Apply fabrics with nature elements/botanical prints (for example, pillows or plaids);
- Listen to the sound of the sea, of the rain, birds, crickets, rustling forests, you can also use meditations for this;
- Take a forest bath. This sounds complicated but is nothing more than relaxing near trees;
- Wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict you in any way;
- Get outdoors! Walk, bike, have a picnic in the park, on your balcony or in your own garden (we do this often!), look at the clouds….
- Go offline for a day (or longer!).
I’m going to put on my dress and run through the grass outside barefoot. Which of the above tips will you try out to experience more freedom?
Inspired by Lou Niestadt and her Joyride to Freedom, I am trying to feel and follow my own Joy. During my own Joyride to Freedom it is of course not so strange (Law of Attraction in action) that I stumbled upon the book Joyful, written by Ingrid Fetell Lee. Based on 10 themes she describes how you can add more Joy to your life. It inspired me to start a series of 10 blogs. Here you can find my previous blog about more Abundance.
If you, like me, want more Joy in your life absolutely check out Ingrid Fetell Lee’s website. Watch her TED talk or join her very nice Facebook Group.
