“Be Free – Live the life you want!”

This command was repeated in my head throughout the night, during those barely conscious rises to the surface, in dreams, and in waking moments, when I implored myself to remember the words. Part of it was remnants of a book I’d finished reading, where one character writes to another:

“Life the life you want.

Love whom you want.

And don’t forget to write.”

(And Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino)

The last line was a double meaning – stay in touch, of course, but also, for the character to spend time doing the thing she loves: writing.

In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), we talk a lot about personal freedom and what that means in terms of valued action, which is behavior or action that aligns with our values. It’s a good idea to take the time and really consider what “freedom” means personally, not what we’ve been taught, not what society expects…what does “personal freedom” really mean to us? How would we feel if we were free? Once we know that, what are our values that align with and support our personal freedom? How would we feel living according to our values and always in pursuit of our freedom?

Wherever you are today, whatever you’re doing, take a few moments to think about what freedom means to you and what values are important to you. Write, if that’s how you process. Pursue your growth, pursue your freedom.