Coaching Center of Vermont Blog

By Glen McClintock

Freedom – what a concept!  People have longed for it, died for it. Freedom to love who you want, to be who you are, to vote, to be a fully respected member of your community. Freedom from persecution. Freedom to be all you can be. When you begin to open yourself to life’s possibilities, you also free yourself to be who you really are. I like to call this journey of self discovery your Heart’s Adventure.

So, is freedom just another word for nothing left to lose, or are you free to live a life of abundance? Do you define freedom in your head or do you experience it in your heart? Do you really know what it feels like to be free? And, given the opportunity, do you allow yourself to experience it? Have you taken the time to listen to your heart?

These are all personal questions that we’re left to answer on our own. The truth is that one person’s idea of freedom may be another person’s jail cell. Are we free to practice our religious beliefs or are we shackled by our chosen ideology? Are we free to express our individuality, or does this expression ultimately follow the cultural norms of just one of many subcultures. We are constantly struggling to understand our world and our place in it, but how do we know when we’re operating “outside of the box” or just stepping into another box we have yet to define?

We may think of freedom as a goal that once attained is never lost (e.g. civil or legal rights), but when it comes to our own personal journeys, our heart’s adventure, we see that freedom is more a state of mind. And it can be easy to lose focus as we travel the rocky roads of life’s adventure.

So if the journey to freedom in your life is a process of self discovery — your heart’s adventure — where do you start? And how do you know when you get “there?” While the journey, as Dorothy discovered in the Wizard of Oz, may be fraught with fear and excitement, your heart’s desire and the freedom that you seek may ultimately be closer than you think.

If simply clicking your heels does not get you where you want to be, there are things that you can do to prepare for the journey.  First, there may be things you need to let go of, to lighten your load – to move more freely and gain additional perspective. Second, once you’ve lightened your load, what do you have to reinforce you, to nourish you and give you energy to face life’s difficulties and continue on your journey?
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By Kim DuBrul

We’ve all heard it. One of the hottest topics in the spiritual/self development world today is how to live in the present moment. Some unsettling events in my own life really got me thinking about how important this is. Realizing that I have a choice in how I spend my moments — big or little — is a freedom that I cannot overlook.

I began to recognize that when I am present in the moment, I grant myself freedom from many unsupportive and unproductive things such as worry, anxious thoughts, and just plain old wasted time and energy spent thinking about things that never happen, or things that did happen, but only in my own mind!

Even more important than freedom from my busy mind were the additional freedoms I gained by being conscious in the moment, and fully engaged in whatever task I was involved in; freedoms that far outweighed the freedom from my anxious thoughts. Freedoms such as:

• happiness, plain and simple!
• true connection with my intuition and inner world
• true connection with others
• freedom from wasted time and energy
• focused learning (leading me to faster results)

Now, just knowing didn’t make it any easier. Old habits take time to change. I know this is a process, and I set out to do my best each day with a simple practice. I simply began to ask myself some questions to re-center on the present.

The process is very personal. What works, varies.  As a coach, I work with my clients to help them figure out what tools work best for them in pursuit of living consciously. We look for clues by exploring their values and examining the areas of their life where they are not seeing the peacefulness they desire. And conducting an experiment can help.

So with that in mind, when you find yourself dwelling in the past or in the “what ifs” of the future, try my questions and observe how they work for you:

• What can I do right now in the present that can help me to assure the outcome I want?
• How am I making this person who is important to me feel? Am I giving my full attention? What message am I sending?
• Since I am spending my precious time in this moment doing this particular thing, (ie: I have made a choice to do it) how can I enjoy it?
• Is it really a problem right this minute?
• Do I have any proof that what I am thinking is true and absolute?

I also find that by writing out a list of all the important things that I need to/want to do, I release myself from the worry of forgetting to do something! That allows me to be more focused on my current project or interaction.

Here’s to your freedom to show up in the present for your own life, and all the joy that will bring you!  Recognize for yourself that this freedom cannot be taken from you by anyone, except yourself.

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Kim DuBrul GPC, APC has been joyfully coaching her clients to reach their goals for 8 years.  She intends each day to live in the moment as much as possible and thanks her children for keeping her on her toes!