Ah Freedom. What a wonderful thing to experience. Who knew life could be so sweet? I certainly didn’t.

Freedom: “Absence of undue restrictions and an opportunity to exercise one’s rights and powers.” -Dictionary.com. Okay, sign me up for that.

I used to think that freedom meant I could do whatever I wanted. Eat whatever I wanted and then just exercise it off. Drink and party as much as I wanted and because I was young and strong, I still made it to work. But that wasn’t real freedom. My thoughts around my body if I missed a workout didn’t feel good (at all). And, my actions and attitudes working hung over didn’t bring joy or positivity (at all).

According to Thomas Jefferson, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Vigilance is the ability to maintain attention and alertness over long periods of time. It’s hard to maintain attention and alertness when you are a party girl, so eleven years ago I joined a very famous sobriety club and stopped drinking. Great move on my part, but as alcohol and drugs were discarded, which I was using as huge life buffers, my body image, eating and exercise habits were thrust up front and center. Talk about a painful prison of distraction and self-centeredness.

I found Nourishing Wisdom by Marc David, and the next steps on my journey out of the personal prison I had constructed began. I have experienced stubbornness, slips, unwillingness and outright obstinance on my journey to freedom. There have been many ups, downs, forwards and backs in my journey. (I choose to look at it like dancing the cha cha). But, once freedom from body image and food obsession is experienced, it’s so amazing that continuing to evolve is the only way to go.

Maintaining my freedom is a practice of a gentle vigilance:

1. Living slowness around food, work and life. I find it hard to evolve and grow in the fast lane.
2. Loving what is. Reality is so wonderful when I accept it for what it is and stop trying to manipulate it into what it “should” be.
3. Giving back to the people in my life and serving my Queendom. My friends, it’s good to be Queen.
4. Actively practicing gratitude for the abundance I do have. I am constantly making lists of things I love that are in my life NOW.
5. Cultivating wonderful thoughts which lead to words which lead to actions which then enhance my life.

And most importantly, granting myself forgiveness for anytime I don’t do any of the above tools well. I used to think that doing things perfectly was the goal but now I’ve learned that getting off track is part of life. When this happens, I simply notice I’m off, skip the judgment and get back to my practice. Today, freedom is truly mine. Is life perfect? No, but am I free to choose how I experience my life (and wow is it A-MAZ-ING).

Angela Freeman

Authentic. Inspirational. Awesome.

Angela is a lover and practitioner of all things awesome. What makes her tick is finding practical and sustainable solutions for her eating psychology practice clients (isn’t it awesome when we find a solution that actually sticks?) And her other passion is coaching people with fun (and LOUD) workouts in her gym in Ketchum, Idaho. Wildly authentic with a goal to “choose happiness” whenever possible, Angela finds joy in pretty much everything. Angela is married to “the love of her life” AND she is owned by four fabulous wiener dogs, which makes her one of the luckiest women ever.