Today I have been guided to talk about freedom and perspective. Over the last two years, freedom has been a huge topic of conversation for many people. So many changes in our environment – pandemic mandates and restrictions, war, loss and grief, the changing economy, etc. - have caused people to examine their perspective of freedom.
What is freedom? I think most of us would concur with Webster that freedom means “the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action”; “unrestricted” and more
recently on many people’s minds, a ”political right”. Freedom applies to freedom of belief such as conscience (morality, ethics), religion, opinion; thought which would include decision making, opinion, judgement; feelings or expression, and action such as communication, movement, assembly or gathering, and association. Freedom applies to so many components of our reality and that is why it is so dear to so many of us. We all experience freedom to different degrees depending on:
our physical location (example: we may have physical barriers to movement)
those in perceived positions of power over us such as the “head of the family,” government or another ruling body
access to resources and supports
our own abilities, choices, and perspective
Today, I would like to address perspective. As an energetic being we have immense freedom. However, living in a physical world, our perspectives on our freedom can be varied. Let’s look at how that perspective can affect our reality.
We have freedom of choice on how we want to view and respond to any issue or challenge we face, be it freedom or lack of it, conflict with others, or simply “having a bad day.” Let’s first talk about how we view the world around us and the circumstances within which we live. There is a saying “perspective is everything.” Perspective is defined as “the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed” (Merriam Webster) “Mentally viewed” refers to the use of our mind which is the home of our thoughts, beliefs that are based on past experiences. Remember the cycle we discussed in Newsletter #3 – “You are the Boss of Your Dreams” where beliefs and thoughts create feelings which drive our actions that create the reality we live in. Therefor, if we don’t like the reality we are living in, we have the freedom to change the beliefs, thoughts, and feelings that create that reality.
So how do we do that? How do we change thoughts, beliefs, and feelings? What helps is to reframe or change our perspective, look at things differently, come at things from a different angle. By changing our perspective, we can find the silver lining. We can change a negative situation into one that is neutral or even positive for us. Sometimes we can do this independently and sometimes we are so stuck in our beliefs or train of thought that we need help. A simple example is how we view the weather. My husband and I have just returned
from a trip to the west coast of British Columbia. We were looking forward to exploring the harbour of Victoria and spending time enjoying the beauty of the ocean. When we woke early to head out on the second day of our drive, a soaking rain was coming down. Our first reaction was grateful that it wasn’t snow as we knew travelling this time of the year, we could hit any kind of weather. As we checked out of our hotel, the person at the desk made an unhappy comment about the rain. My husband’s instant response was that we were happy to see the rain as we had passed several areas clouded over with heavy smoke due to forest fires the day before. He continued with a smile that he hoped the rain would douse the fires. The fellow’s facial expression instantly brightened and he replied a little surprised, “That’s the first positive comment I’ve heard about the rain. Yes, let’s hope it helps stop the fires.” As we walked out to our car to continue our trip, he smiled and wished us a safe journey. My husband’s positive perspective about the rain seemed to brighten the clerk’s day. To the clerk’s credit, he chose to adopt that positive view rather than arguing that the rain likely wouldn’t help the fires, or that it could turn to snow and make our drive more treacherous, etc.
Our perspective also depends on our past experiences. When we approach subsequent similar situations with a perspective based on those past experiences, we are heading towards a similar outcome. But we can change our perspective of those new experiences. They do not have to be repeats of the past. As we resumed our trip to the coast on that second day, the
first hour or two was going to be on the Coquihalla Highway which has the dubious distinction of being one of the worst roads in winter in all North America. Our previous experiences on that highway had been both positive – driving on a bright, clear, sunny day with dry roads – and negative, even heart stopping – driving at night in a blizzard with deep ruts of ice and snow in the road and virtually no visibility. Based on that second past experience, we could have approached the drive with anxiety and hesitation or even chose to wait a day until the rain stopped, anticipating it would turn to snow at the higher elevations of the highway ahead of us. This type of perspective comes from our Ego. The Ego lives in the mind and is a part of our personality that helps us make sense of our physical world. Part of the Ego’s job is to keep us safe. So, often, it keeps us in a negative perspective about a situation so we will avoid it. It stands in the way of our changing our perspective so we can proceed. In the example above, our response was choosing to put those memories and fears aside, and instead, being grateful for the rain that was quenching the parched countryside. Admittedly, as we hit the summit and it started to snow, I had a couple of times where I could feel that anxiety rising. I asked my husband if the wet road felt slippery when the thermometer in the car showed the external temperature as nearing zero. His calm response that the roads were fine, helped me reframe and enjoy the ride. I thanked my ego for trying to keep me safe then let the fear and anxiety go.
It is said that the circumstances of our lives may matter less than how we see them. In the example above, the rain was not really the issue. It was just rain. Our perspective of what the rain could become was what affected our feelings and actions and in turn, our reality. So, the point is, we have the freedom to change our perspective. We are the only ones who have control over our mental function, our thoughts and beliefs that create our reality. Reframing or changing our perspective is the key to happiness. If we can choose to change our perspective, we can choose happiness. We are in the driver’s seat. Reframing keeps us in control of our reality. That sense of control over our circumstances affects our happiness. So how does all of this relate to freedom? Perspective is so important. And remember, we have control over our perspective, we can choose what angle we want to view things from. There is
always more than one perspective. For the many, many people who have had their freedom infringed upon these last couple of years, those who have looked at different perspectives of their situation have felt the most in control of their reality and have had the most positive outcomes. For example, those who lost their jobs, their freedom to earn a living due to pandemic mandates or restrictions could choose to see themselves as helpless victims of government or employer decisions and live in feelings of anger, fear, or depression about their loss. Those feelings create a reality where it may be difficult to get out of bed in the morning to look for another job, rejuggle finances, or problem solve around their situation. Those negative feelings keep that person “stuck in the muck” and stops them from moving forward to create a better reality for themselves. In this situation, they have relinquished control to the Ego (keeping them in the negative cycle) and to others outside of themselves. Conversely, others refused to let the
Ego bring in fear, anxiety, or anger. They chose to reframe the job loss to an opportunity for positive change such as finding a more rewarding job, spending more time with family, or even moving to a different community that provided a better environment for their family. They were in control and by reframing or changing their perspective of their situation, they were able to move forward and take action to address the job loss.
Less tangible examples include freedom to hold certain opinions or beliefs or freedom of expression. There are so many unfortunate examples in society where people have been judged harshly because of their beliefs and/or their communication or actions taken based on those beliefs, to the extent of losing their livelihood, relationships, long and esteemed reputations and even their lives. Unfortunately, that harsh judgement occurs when what someone says or does presents a perceived conflict or threat to someone else. What would a
change in perspective do in this situation? How would it help? First, it is important to quieten the Ego which might be saying “If what they say or do is right, then you’re wrong. You will
look stupid. People won’t like you. You will be ‘out’ and they will be ‘in’”. Remember, when someone sees something as a threat, they are not in control. The external factor is in control. Control is taken back with the next step of reframing/changing the perspective of harsh judgement from “They are crazy” or “They are dead wrong” or “They don’t deserve…”, to perhaps “They are entitled to their opinion” or “They might know something I don’t. I’m curious to find out” or “We can agree to disagree.”
It is not an easy task to reframe when there is a lot of negativity constantly being reinforced in our environment. That is when support from others and staying in a place of love and respect is so important. When we let go of all the emotions based on fear such as anxiety, depression, anger and replace them with love, respect, and compassion we find ourselves in a better world. The future looks brighter. There is hope. Remember too, the more you change your perspective to come from a place of positivity, the more positive events you will attract into your life. Like attracts like. The easier life will become – you will be in the flow.
So, how is your perspective on things in your life today? Are you in control? Are you happy? Are you choosing to create your reality from a place of positivity? Or are you “stuck in the muck” or down a rabbit hole of negativity that you can’t climb out of. If so, reach out to a friend to pull you out or put a ladder down for you to climb out of that hole. If your friends are
all in the muck or the hole with you, or if you are alone, ask Spirit for help to turn things around, to help you change your perspective. You might do that in meditation, prayer, journaling or just a conversation in your mind or even aloud. Your spiritual team is always there ready to love, guide and support you. All you need to do is ask. The bonus is, they don’t care what form of communication you use! They will hear you and respond. They know that as a child of God/Universe/Source/the Creator/the Divine you deserve to be happy. It is your birth right.
In wrapping up this conversation, I have a challenge for you. The next time you are feeling down or angry, anxious, or afraid, try to change your perspective to the positive. Arrange before hand with a spouse, family member, friend, or colleague to help you identify those times and reach out their hand when you need it. We are all connected energetically so the more we stay in love, the more others benefit from that positive impact. Wouldn’t be wonderful if everyone could change their perspective to stay in a place of love and positivity? What a beautiful free world we could create!
I believe with all my heart that we all have the power to create a more loving free world for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren. Let’s keep our perspective rooted in love, respect, and compassion. Together, we can do it!
Lots of love and hugs,
Marilyn
Resources
If you would like to learn more about changing perspective and living in positivity, here are a few resources I have found helpful:
Authors:
Gabrielle Bernstein – The Universe Has Your Back
Radleigh Valentine – How to Be Your own Genie
Rhonda Byrne
Websites: Ted talk by Rory Sutherland- Perspective is Everything (language alert)
Intuitive Counselling and Angel Card Readings
If you have the need a helping hand to “get out of the muck” or “climb out of a rabbit hole,” I am offering intuitive counselling and angel card readings online or in person (in Calgary).
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