THERE ARE 3 KEYS TO BREAKING FREE.
There are 3 keys that can help us break free from the prison of our old ways. These 3 strategies help us escape our old ways and achieve personal freedom. This escape involves a personal inner transformation.
Our inner transformation is a new way of seeing things, which leads to a new way of functioning. We also assume personal responsibility for our progress. This helps to speed our growth.
THE 1st KEY EXPLAINS THE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS.
The 1st key is to understand where lasting happiness & joy comes from. The true source of permanent happiness comes from within ourselves. It does not come from the outside world. So that's where we have to look. That’s the part of us we need to change. We need to deeply realize and profoundly accept this truth.
There is also an addendum to this 1st key. We must also realize that we are personally responsible for making these changes ourselves. We have discussed this first key and its addendum in the previous chapter.
But how do we achieve this process of transformation & liberation? How do we do this in practice? The second key gives us more of the answer.
THE 2nd KEY: SELF-AWARENESS LEADS TO A BETTER OUTCOME.
The way we achieve personal liberation is by raising our awareness. We do this internally, in our mind. We simply watch our thoughts and take personal responsibility for them. This starts with being responsible for the lines of thinking that we engage in and also our vibe. In essence, that’s how we become a free and sovereign being.
So, in theory, breaking free and personal autonomy is that simple. In practice it's a little harder. We also need sufficient intent and the will to maintain this process! This means that this process can only be done through our voluntary agreement and individual free will. Our personal consent must be freely given, and no one else can do this for us! With every sovereign decision we make, we reconfirm our personal choice and our autonomy. This is called conscious decision making.
…Do you freely give your consent to change your life?
MONITOR YOUR THOUGHTS & FEELINGS.
But how do we do this in practice? To understand this process better, let's look at how decision making occurs. Let's consider how our mind works.
When we observe our mind at work, we notice a variety of different ideas, thoughts & feelings. Some of this input comes from our subconscious mind, based on our past experiences & conditioning. Additional input comes from our ‘higher self’. Another name for this is our quiet ‘inner voice’. This higher self or inner self also provides intuitive nudges and insights.
OUR INNER AWARENESS MAY BE LACKING.
Through practice, we become more aware of what crosses our field of consciousness. We all have the capacity for this simple self-awareness, even if we deny this or have doubts. We all have this innate ability. It might just be a little rusty from underuse. So maybe it's time to pause more and spend more time in quiet contemplation. By slowing our thoughts, we are better able to observe them.
…Have you discovered your inner voice? What is it saying?
ALLOW UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS TO PASS.
Not all our thoughts will be in alignment with our true inner needs. Many thoughts do not support us on our new quest. Some won't promote inner peace & harmony. It’s helpful to be aware of all our thoughts, even the unhelpful ones. We just briefly acknowledge all thoughts as part of our experience of life.
But it’s very important not to give our negative thoughts any further attention, because that just strengthens them. We don't attach to them! By not giving negative thoughts our attention, they quickly exit from the screen of our mind. It’s that simple!
ONLY ENGAGE WITH EMPOWERING THOUGHTS.
We engage with the thoughts that align with our true inner needs & life purpose. That also means they must be constructive and beneficial. By engaging with positive thoughts, we empower them with our consent. We all have this innate capacity to choose which thoughts we engage with and empower. With practice, we learn to engage only with thoughts that will serve us!
By nurturing positive thoughts, we raise our level of vibration or ‘vibe’. This raises our awareness to a higher level. The elevation in perspective further changes our view of the world. This leads to a shift in our actions & behavior patterns. As a result, we incrementally transform ourselves and our whole life! It’s that simple, but so powerful!
…Are you focusing on the thoughts that empower you?
ADDENDUM TO THE 2nd KEY: NO ONE ELSE CAN DO THIS WORK FOR US!
This addendum to the 2nd key reinforces the notion that we do this transformation ourselves. No one else can do this inner work for us. We are personally responsible for doing this work!
Metaphorically, this could be compared to physically turning a key to unlock a door. But this key is biometrically linked to our individual nature. The key won't open the door in anyone else’s hands! It’s coded to us personally.
But simply holding the key is still not enough. We must personally twist the key and push the door open ourselves. Then we must actually take the steps to leave our confinement or prison. By taking action ourselves, we demonstrate our commitment and sovereign free will choice. This is how we unlock the mental barriers to our freedom.
CONSENT IS REQUIRED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
A fresh commitment of personal intent is required for every phase of growth. Each re-confirmation of our free will acts like a safeguard. This ensures:
No one can FORCE us to do this inner work!
No one ELSE can do this inner work for us!
Why is such a secure system of consent required? This is because the resultant life changes are potentially so profound. Even a single decision can produce a major life change. And these changes may not be easily reversed! So the process requires that our consent is freely given, each step of the way.
WE MUST WILLINGLY TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY.
We invite you to deeply contemplate this understanding. Let the realization sink in! We are transforming ourselves and the change can be significant. This is a big responsibility, but we willingly take on this role.
…Are you prepared to accept responsibility for your own happiness?
What then should we do with our newfound freedom & responsibility? How should we view our role in life? There is a third key to help us understand our role. We discuss this in the next chapter.