What does freedom mean to you?

“There are thousands and thousands of people out there living lives of quiet, screaming desperation who work long, hard hours, at jobs they hate, to enable them to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.” 

– Nigel Marsh –

I have just watched the most fantastic TED talk called ‘Sell your crap. Pay your debt. Do what you love‘ by a lovely guy called Adam Baker and I wanted to share it on my blog today.

To be honest, there isn’t that much more to say on the talk, apart from me highly recommending that you watch it, especially if you know that your life is cluttered with too much stuff, or if you’re looking for a bit more clarity.

I also wanted to answer the question that I have posed today, myself. Because this is a question that I asked myself pretty much this time last year. What does freedom mean to you? And the answer was pretty simple. It means being able to do the things I love, be with the people I love, and be where I love.

Bearing in mind that this time last year, I wasn’t in love with my job, I was single, and was living in the city (although living in a country that I love), so there was still some way to go . . . .

I therefore set about making some pretty fundamental changes in my life. I decided to quit my job and set up a business doing what I love (Mentoring, Marketing & Branding for Start Ups and Small Businesses), a month or so after that and after I left my job in the city, I decided to move back to the beach and live where I loved, and a few months after I had done that I decided that I was ready for a relationship, so started online dating to meet someone who I love.

Of course, I’m sure some of you are thinking, ‘Yeah right Kat. Whatevs, life’s not that simple. You can’t just decide that you want to fill your life with all of those wonderful things, and they just happen and fall in your lap!’. And I would say, ‘Yes and no’.

Of course all of those things don’t just land in your lap. You have to take a massive amount of action, you need to be committed, you need to get so clear in your mind of the things that you would like to have in your life, and focus all of your positive energy on achieving them. But I would also say, that yes, it is that simple. Because all you have to do is decide.

A year later I have created the most amazing business that I love, and means that I jump out of bed every morning excited to start each day. I am also doing something else that I love to do, which is writing, and something I have put off for quite some time, because I was too fearful to start. Not only am I writing this blog, but I have also started writing a book, which, when I have finished will be fulfilling another life long dream.

And I also have the most beautiful and amazing boyfriend who I met 8 months ago and who I love very dearly. And we are both living together, in an amazing flat, right by the beach, that I love.

So, all you need to do is decide what freedom means to you, and what you need to empty out of you life that isn’t serving you, so you can fill it with the things that you love and will give you the freedom to be your true self.

One simple question, with one awesome answer. So, what does freedom mean to you?

Inspiration for this blog

Adam Bakers TED talk – Sell your crap. Pay your debt. Do what you love.