What a pleasure it has been hosting this contest! I must say, reading so many different ideas on personal freedom has been incredibly inspiring. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I pulled out all the submissions, and my family and I sat around talking about freedom-how thankful we are for freedom and what it means.

There were so many great thoughts represented in this contest, and I’d say that I’d like to pull a little bit from everyone’s comments to put together the winner! It became clear that freedom exists, whether we recognize it or not. Sometimes our choices are more limited than others, but there are always choices-many of you talked about making a choice to change your outlook, attitude or awareness that allowed you to feel more free. In other words, nothing changed about freedom itself, what changed is the experience you were having.

Also, freedom seems to be a lack of constraints, and therefore, the definitions that implied that freedom meant an ability to do X sometimes left out the fact that freedom isn’t only the ability do X, it’s also the ability NOT to do X. The higher the understanding of that, the more free people feel and the more likely they are to do X. (Confusing? Read it over again…and again.)

Overall, the lack of attachment to an outcome helps you all to feel free. Understanding that freedom is a responsibility in that the outcomes are a result of your choices helps you to feel free. Living in the present, and living with gratitude helps you to feel free.

If I could take a bit from everyone’s responses and make a definition of Personal Freedom, this is what I would write:

Each one of us has that intrinsic freedom, be who you are in this moment. Freedom allows you to succeed or fail and eliminates blame, it is one’s right or ability to choose consequences or possible outcomes. Personal freedom is obtainable for everyone, I am thankful, I am free to choose to, or not to, make a choice, freedom allows you to succeed or fail and prevents blaming others, to be ever thankful for every life’s experience, the ability to have total happiness in your heart, every moment of my life is a moment of perfection…when I am aware of that, I am free, Personal Freedom = Personal Responsibility, Live in the present with the attitude of gratitude and personal freedom will flourish, inner peace of mind, however I choose to do it…if ever. And maybe not. It’s my choice.

Here are the contest winners.

First Place and winner of a Freedom Personal Development Sweatshirt – Dan Johnson (DJ) (comment #33)

Definition personal freedom: Live in the present! We humans get so caught up with the past and the future. We forget about the present. The present is were all the action is! The past creates our beliefs. keep an open mind to everything and attach yourself to nothing.(Personal freedom). Thinking about the future creates to much I gotta have. Let go of the future. It isnt here yet! Live in the present with the planet and everything we could ever want is right their in front of us.(Personal freedom) In short the past doesnt equal the future and the future doesnt equal the present. Live in the present with the attitude of gratitude and personal freedom will flurish.

Second Place and winner of an “Expect Success” Book – Chris (comment #40)

My definition of Personal Freedom is the ability to make choices and accept the responsibility for those choices-free from placing blame on others for the resulting positive or negative consequences.

Third Place and Winner of a Freedom Personal Development Water Bottle - Bert Beaulieu (comment #7)

Freedom allows you to succeed or fail and eliminates blame.

Thanks to everyone for participating.

Be Free!

Leah Simpson
Instructor

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