I always feel excited and thankful when this time of year rolls around. I feel so privileged to celebrate freedoms that many folks around the globe do not have the same fortune to enjoy. I am thankful for opportunities, choices, and all the things that many of us take for granted living in this country.
Barriers to Freedom
At the same time, I understand that there are many people here in America struggling to celebrate this holiday. Many folks feel trapped in their current circumstances or by their past experiences. Feeling trapped certainly makes it difficult to celebrate a holiday focused on independence and freedom.
Many experiences can leave us feeling captive and confined. Maybe you grew up in an environment in which exerting your freedom resulted in unpleasant consequences. You might have learned early on that making your own decisions was unacceptable and punished in one way or another. You may still be living in fear of choosing your own direction. You might have even carried similar relationship expectations into adulthood, finding comparable consequences still result when you try to exercise your freedom to choose what you feel is best for you.
Maybe you realize that all of the hopes and dreams you had as a child or adolescent now seem like a distant and foggy memory. Life hasn’t turned out the way you expected and you feel stuck and restricted, unable to find joy and fulfillment. You might have given up on the notion that things can be different, and more in line with what you wanted your life to look like.
There are so many situations and scenarios that can leave us feeling trapped instead of free.
Do You Feel Free?
What about you? How are you feeling this 4th of July weekend?
- Are you living the life you always wanted for yourself?
- Are you enjoying autonomy and the feeling of freedom to be your authentic self?
- Do you feel trapped by insecurity, stress, worry, or circumstance?
- Do you feel controlled by others and unable to find your own personal freedom?
Hope
Don’t give up! If you’re feeling trapped, stuck, or anything but free – know that there is hope for something different. You do not have to stay imprisoned by your past or present circumstances. Things can be different! It might not be easy - but if you’re willing to hope and willing to work toward your own personal freedom, you can find it.
Kristen Henshaw, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), specializes in trauma recovery, dissociation, and working with highly sensitive people. Contact her for a free 30-minute consultation.