Everyone has their purpose in this world or they wouldn’t be here in the first place. Yet, why do so many live unfulfilled lives, are depressed, and lifeless? I’ll answer the question for you: fear.
Fear holds you back from leaving behind those things that hold you back. It keeps you in toxic relationships, unfulfilling jobs, and unhealthy habits. Only those who conquer their fear and overcome their shortcomings can achieve their destiny.
You will only be free if you live life on your terms. No other course of life will satisfy you. If you want to be happy, if you want to be satisfied, and if you wish to have an impact in this world, you’ve got to let go of fear.
Roadmap To Living Free
Like everything else in life, living free is a long process. It’s a way of life, and it takes dedication to achieve. However, there are some definite milestones to point out the way.
Know Yourself, Get Grounded
The first step of their journey to self-actualization begins with an honest and often painful examination of self. Whatever you believe about life, God, and the universe, the key lies in your own heart.
Once you know who you are, what you believe, and what you want out of life, then you have made a significant step. At this stage, you also consider your talents and passion. They define who you are, and will later light the way to the future.
Next, get yourself grounded in something firm. Life will inevitably knock you down, but if you are well-grounded, you can always get yourself up. Some people believe in themselves, others in family, and some in financial prosperity.
I always say that these things can and might fail at some point. If you can, put your faith in something high beyond the changing finite bounds of this world.
Assess Your Situation and Possible Options
The next step involves a calm and pragmatic examination of reality. Are you exercising your talents and passions? Are you earning enough? Are you happy in your work, relationship, or family?
More importantly, what tools do you have to go to the next stage? What do you need to acquire to grow? What are your options? These questions are vitally important because knowing your position allows you to plan for the future.
Plan and Set Up Milestones
Now that you have a clear picture of the past and present, set up the future. It is time to dream big and write down your goals. While you should have concrete plans for how you want to achieve them, always be open to new possibilities. The heart has a strange way of releasing keys to the future one at a time.
Team Up With Like-Minded People
Teamwork is a time-tested secret to success in everything. You are the average of your five closest people. You may have heard that if you want to walk fast, you go alone but if you walk together, you go far.
Having a team to work with makes you accountable, disciplined, and generally brings out the best in you. It also makes sure that when you fall, there will be someone to pick you up.
Write Down Your Fears and Face Them
Fear is the biggest enemy of your goals.
To conquer fear, here are a few things you can do:
- Wean yourself from television, social media, and mainstream entertainment. These tend to narrow your vision and deplete your confidence. Instead, read lots of great books.
- Write down your fears and face them. Fear is often irrational, and it fades once you have it pinned down. For some people, fear is the result of some painful experience which takes a lot of courage to overcome. Either way, you can never move ahead until you slay the dragon of fear.
- Surround yourself with positivity. Avoid negative people, media, and toxicity like your life depends on it. In a way, it does.
- Have someone you can turn to. Sometimes, courage is admitting your fear out loud.
Do Something Selfless Every Day
Life is meaningless if you live it for yourself. Take time to serve God, serve humanity, serve your family, serve your friends, and the less fortunate in society. That is how you get fulfilled. And when you achieve your life goals, make sure it is about others. That is how you get fulfillment.
Final Thoughts
Living life on your own terms is about coming out of the shell you hide in. Face the truth instead of ignoring it, and then decide to follow your heart. Conquer your fear, and you will enjoy freedom and purpose like you never had before.
