I believe in freedom. I believe in living a balanced, happy life with time to pursue passions and dreams. I believe in spending time with people who uplift and bolster me. I believe in working hard and I finally believe there is a time and place for doing nothing too. I believe in trying to make this world a better place to live in and that we need to start with ourselves. I also believe in boundaries... and I believe boundaries are key to achieving a life like this.
Openness is required to recognize and pursue the things that are important to us. But we also need to be strong and discerning along this path. Setting boundaries protects us. These borders are not meant to confine but in fact to create a safety net over which we can really soar. Would you sky dive without a parachute? Hopefully not. It isn't that different from over exerting ourselves, saying yes to things when we are already depleted or allowing ourselves to indulge in activities or thought patterns we know are detrimental to our health or happiness. Setting some ground rules strains out the things, thoughts or relationships that could be toxic to our overall success. It helps us sift through to keep what is necessary and swerve away from what will bring us down. Living with some structure will allow us to live more freely, happily and fully. Why? because boundaries = respect. When we respect ourselves and others we not only can be open enough to see and start working toward our goals but we can be strong enough to stand tall and unwavering in our own truth.
Freedom, is not in fact, to live without limits. It's to live in your truth without negative consequence. Look at yoga, if I am bumping up against a physical edge in my practice and do not back off, chances are that I will get hurt. If I rub elbows with my edge and then back off a little, instead of pushing further, I will be standing in my own truth. This way, I'm respecting what is actually good for me, without worrying about what other people think or what someone is expecting from me. This is way more liberating than sustaining an injury. Time is another great example. Have you ever found it's challenging to manage time when you have tons of it? It can feel too expansive and that can actually dampen motivation. What about some structure? Building in time for work, projects, and social life in a mindful way will allow you to feel unburdened in the way you enjoy your free time.
Say no. Respectfully and kindly of course. There is nothing more restricting than an obligation that makes you feel like you're pushing your limits. Empower yourself by sharing your heart, but keep it protected it too. Having boundaries allows you more freedom. It's about being honest with yourself about what you can take on before building back up to have something to share. Boundaries are important in yoga, in relationships, at work, in finances, in time management and in your body. Take liberty to get these ducks in a row. Listen to yourself and find your natural limits. Learn where your edge is and gently knock on the door to be let into that space. Take ownership and responsibility. Nobody else can. I think you will find what you feel is respect, inspiration and free rein to enjoy your experiences more wholly.
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