Living Freedom Archive

To Be Freely Forwarded in Support of Freedom ~ Define Who You Are

1. Turn Off Your TV, but stay INFORMED: Anything you can find on the television can also be found online. The internet includes a much greater variety of sources from both mainstream and independent media perspectives: From broadcast news wires to local personal accounts, and informed, intelligent analysis to freeform discussion and debate. Investigate issues that concern you and draw your own conclusions.

2. Talk about what matters to you. Refuse to adhere to narrow “politically correct” subjects—starting with your friends and family. Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right that is repressed in many countries around the world, including so called “free countries.” Practice with those close to you, then open your heart, mind and mouth to share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns with a broader audience. Question the opinions of others and allow your own opinions to become more informed.

3. Practice CONFLICT without VIOLENCE. This is key to achieving a peaceful world. Conflict is bound to arise as you practice freedom in all its forms. Use this opportunity to both LISTEN and ALLOW others to express and hold their opinions, which may be radically different from your own. Explore different types of conflict resolution and consensus building in your workplace, home and relationships. Let people be who they are, without taking away from who you are, and celebrate diversity!

4. Do LESS, not more. Subvert the pressure to do more, buy more, work more—opt for a simplified existence that gives you time to just BE. Make a conscious choice to consume less so that you can work less and spend more time with your friends and family, and engaged in creative, meaningful pursuits.

5. Reduce Your Environmental Footprint: Buy less (reduce the amount of natural resources, chemicals, and labor required to sustain you on this planet); use less (clear your clutter and FEEL freedom!); throw out less (keep waste out of landfills to liberate our earth, air and water); and RECYCLE more (re-purpose items that are no longer functional, or pass them along). Can’t break that latté habit? Even small acts like providing your own reusable coffee cup can make a difference. If we are to survive on Earth, we need a radical shift in how we each relate to our environment.

6. Unleash Your Creativity: Participate in, attend, and support events involving the arts, culture, music, health, community, athletics, adventure… Engage in life affirming activities and expressions that speak to your heart, expand your mind, and excite your body—enjoy the gift of being ALIVE!

7. Become Socially and Politically Active: Connect with like minded folks and help to build momentum on issues that matter to you. This can be as easy as signing up to a few mailing lists, and forwarding enlightening and relevant email newsletters to friends who might be interested. Support organizations and projects that make a tangible difference in your community as well as those that tackle society’s complex issues in less visible ways. Remember: Your community is not just in your neighborhood, it’s GLOBAL.

8. Drive Less: Take public transit, car pool, bicycle… It’s sometimes less convenient (takes longer, no trunk to stash things in), sometimes MORE convenient (no sitting in traffic, no need to find parking in busy areas or at public events), but it possibly has the biggest impact of all in terms of making a personal statement. Save money and reduce pollution but most of all, you can feel GREAT about being able to break the addiction to oil that has a stranglehold on society, and as we know, is a central cause of wars around the world.

9. Slow Down: The ultimate non violent direct action we can take in a world that is increasingly pressuring us to do more, is to SLOW DOWN. Technology can be your friend, if you manage it wisely to give yourself more free time rather than time to do MORE. Turn your cell phone off when you want private, uninterrupted time, and resist the urge to check email constantly. Use time on public transit to relax or read, and choose to walk whenever possible. Let your friends and family know that you are in control of your schedule, it is not controlling you—they will be inspired!

10. Let Yourself FEEL: Afraid, bored, excited, anxious, hurt, buoyant? When we feel discomfort, we tend to want to push it away, move away from it, numb ourselves or distract ourselves. Let yourself feel the highs and lows of life, and move toward what touches your heart so that you can become activated at your deepest level. Then let yourself dream!

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