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SOS BOOK Chapter 46: The 1st key to personal freedom.



PLAN THE ESCAPE FROM YOUR OLD WAYS.

Most people feel trapped in their current life. They find it hard to break free from old ways. So how do we break free? It helps to plan our escape from our old ways. What additional knowledge & skills will we need? What strategies can help us overcome our self-limiting behavior?


We can initiate a positive change after a crisis, or at any time we feel inspired to! But how do we do this in practice? Let's briefly overview this process. This can be thought of as planning ‘our escape’. It's useful to have this bigger picture or overall plan in mind. Remember, we will also be transforming ourselves in this process.


PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION HAS MANY STEPS.

Here is an overview of the transformative process:

1. We commit to the process of transforming ourselves.

2. We practise tuning in to our inner guidance and inner drive.

3. We can work at a pace that we feel comfortable with.

4. New opportunities will spontaneously present to us.

5. We just respond in the most loving or kind way we can.

6. Maintaining a state of higher awareness helps us to do all this.

7. We keep our vibe high and maintain a state of inner peace.


THE ABILITY TO TRANSFORM OUR LIFE IS INNATE!

We all have the ability to transform ourselves. This should be highly valued! It’s natural and intrinsic to us. It's already a part of ourselves! And it’s not too complex either. Various options are presented in this book. We simply choose a method or style that resonates with us. Or we can use a combination!


This transformative process could be thought of as an intuitive or innate ability. We already know how to do this, deep inside. We just unlock our hidden resources. We simply do this by allowing our natural and inbuilt processes to unfold!

…Do you believe in your ability to transform yourself?


WE JUST NEED TO GET OUT OF OUR OWN WAY.

In simple terms, we just need to get out of our own way! We stop blocking and sabotaging ourselves. However, learning to do that takes time and understanding. We might for example need to be more kind & forgiving to ourselves.


We must also be patient and understanding of ourselves. The innate ability to transform ourselves may have become very rusty! So, this will take some time. We may have downplayed this skill since childhood. This intrinsic capacity was usually not valued by others, so we may have ignored this!


Our society has subtly discouraged us from pursuing these matters. This natural process was often dismissed as being superficial. Sometimes it was thought of as being too risky! These are the old paradigms we must overcome.


WE HAVE IGNORED OR DELAYED OUR LIFE QUEST.

As adults, if we wanted to re-learn this intuitive ability, we had to piece together fragments of knowledge from scattered sources. That process can be confusing and it's difficult to decide what instruction is best. So, most people never attempt this. It can all seem too hard. So often we just give up and miss out!


To unlock this inner resource, we do need to be committed to this quest. This simply means having the right intent and the determination to transform ourselves for the better! Our inner yearning to transform ourselves will help us achieve this.

…Can you connect with your inner yearning and intent to start?


THERE ARE THREE KEYS TO AID OUR ESCAPE.

Deep within us, we yearn for inner peace, contentment & fulfillment. We do want to satisfy these powerful inner needs & desires. But often we don’t know how to start! What specific strategies should we use? The following discussion should help.


There are 3 ‘key strategies’ that can help us escape the prison of our mind. We will use the analogy of ‘an escape’ from a prison. These keys unlock those metaphorical ‘prison doors’ that have held us back for so long. Used together, these 3 keys are an escape strategy to break free from our old ways!


The keys will continue to be useful all along our quest in life. Metaphorically, they will also open further gates along our journey. Symbolically, these keys remind us that we hold liberation in our own hands. But we must make a personal effort to use them!


THE 1st KEY: LASTING HAPPINESS ONLY COMES FROM WITHIN!

The 1st key to personal freedom is to realize that the source of true happiness is internal. We generate this within ourselves. It does not come from the external world! It helps to embrace this understanding as a ‘deep knowing’. This goes beyond just having the intellectual understanding of it. Having a deep realization of this principle will motivate & sustain us on our inner quest.


Let’s break up this first key into its components or parts.

Lasting happiness or joy NEVER comes from the external material world! What we get from the outside world is ‘temporary pleasure’. And this material or behavioral pleasure can be quite addictive!

Material rewards only bring transient relief, or a temporary respite! We quickly adapt to them and then crave more of the same. So this way is not a permanent solution!

Permanent happiness includes a feeling of joy, inner peace & contentment. This feeling is purely ‘an inside job’. This comes from modifying our perception and our thinking. We do this ourselves and within ourselves!


The 1st key therefore invites us to optimize our internal environment for lasting happiness! But how do we achieve this? And who is responsible for this? That's where the addendum comes in:


ADDENDUM TO THE 1st KEY: WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN HAPPINESS.

We are SOLELY responsible for our own happiness! Taking personal responsibility for our own happiness is the addendum to understanding the first key. We actually have to use the key and not just hold it. This additional understanding can further empower us when we realize our active role in the process. When we understand our responsibility, it puts the onus on us! This realization leads us to take a proactive role.


Becoming responsible for our own well-being is an important breakthrough. This is sometimes a tough reality to face! Contemplate this reality for a while. Let the magnitude of this insight really sink in. Achieving this realization can totally change our attitude to life. It is the first part of our personal transformation.

…Have you accepted that happiness is your responsibility?


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