I am letting go, and I am finally free to outgrow the spaces that tried to restrain me.

Outgrowing Spaces

Outgrowing spaces that try to restrain you is one of the most freeing aspects of growth and self-acceptance stage in life. Freedom is a concept we all yearn for in different stages in life. As a toddler, the ability to walk and finally run made a child feel like they were flying with wings on their heels. It was the freedom you earned and allowed you to play and explore away from the crib of your parents’ grip. Pre-teen years finally being able to choose your friends outside your family circles and other spaces you wanted to venture into, and extra-curricular you loved was your opportunity to find freedom in your passions. As a teen speaking your mind for the first time and being HEARD (keyword) on issues or maybe the battles you face internally or with your friends and family, which gave oneself the power to let go of the chains for constant acceptance and validation/approval from others. And as a grown adult still stumbling and figuring it out, you find freedom in the transformation process. However, it may seem long but it has given you room to connect to yourself and be present and therefore let go of outward expectations and be your expectation.

What exactly is Freedom?

As William Faulkner says, “We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” Freedom cannot be expected or asked. It is something we imbed it into our day-to-day and practice it. It’s an oiled machine that needs constant squeaking and gentle reminders that you are free to love, forgive, laugh, make mistakes,work hard for your goals, and succeed. We are making our own decisions; life doesn’t just happen. Things don’t just happen; they are manifestations from the choices we make. So with that in mind, restraints are the results of what we don’t know are unhealthy until we outgrow it and become aware of how toxic it was and until then we will continue living in that toxic environment. Now let’s talk about spaces that restrain you….this is a toughy because I am still learning how to navigate out of/through spaces that felt draining, or maybe I felt compelled to be someone I could not recognize. It all ties in with letting go and believing you deserve better things; this is how self-worth is measured. And achieving “peace” is measured by how long you don’t look back (Shannon L-Alder). I mean, look back to appreciate how far you have come, and that’s it. Therefore, self-worth, peace, and freedom come from the awareness of what no longer serves you. And deciding to actively choose freedom in your day to day, and forgive the painful things you went through and live freely from the reminders of your past. Deal with things as they come.

Book Recommendations

I want to suggest some books that you can read about this further and allow yourself to learn it through your eyes.

Today’s focus and tomorrow’s focus should be where am I holding myself back? And why? Thank you for reading today’s self-care chapter post!