Every time I think about how I chose to release my most recent book, of not needing to do anything more with it, of trusting that it is now out in the world doing its work, the word that comes to mind is “liberated”. By changing the rules of how a book is released, and what my expectations are, I liberated myself from all sorts of pressures of what I’m “supposed” to or “should” be doing now. Liberating is the only word I have to describe it.
I then asked myself where else in my life have I created this liberated feeling? What are the choices and actions I’ve taken that facilitate this? What is under my control, that I can simply take action on, or even better, simply choose to look at something differently? This is a different list than my “Statement of Being” which is a list of who I am. I came up with the following:
- I liberated myself by creating a passive income stream that sustains me today and, more importantly, understanding my role in making that possible.
- I liberated myself from an endless chase of wanting “more” money.
- I liberated myself from chasing book sales by having a sales goal of 1.
- I liberated myself from the pressure of promoting the book by giving it a 10 year window to evaluate its success and impact.
- I liberated myself by practicing gratitude for everything in my life, of celebrating the things I already have.
- I liberated myself by celebrating who I am, not who I wished I was.
- I liberated myself by creating and playing games I win the moment I decide to play them.
- I liberated myself by not needing someone else’s validation of my worth.
- I liberated myself by forgiving myself unconditionally.
- I liberated myself by not needing to impress anyone.
- I liberated myself by playing an infinite game, seeing myself as part of a huge tapestry.
- I liberated myself by realizing I would never trade away the life I have in this moment for anything, which includes every mistake I’ve ever made and every moment of pain. I am grateful for all of it.
- I liberated myself by recognizing this feeling of being liberated, and then finding where else in my life I can implement it.
- I liberated myself by building a huge list of “what it isn’t”.
- I liberated myself by instead of creating goals, to trust that things will happen in ways I don’t have the capacity to see in this moment, and let it happen.
- I liberated myself in knowing I will look back 5 years from now and know I grew in ways I didn’t know possible today. That I’m aware of this is all I need.
- I liberated myself by learning to run my own race and stop comparing myself to anyone else. There will always be someone making more money, having more impact, or giving more money. All that matters is the money I make, the impact I make, and the money I give.
- I liberated myself by realizing that being “polarizing” is a by-product of showing up as my true self and there is no other way I’d rather be.
- I liberated myself by learning to tell my whole story, the entire story, powerfully and with pride.
- I liberated myself by being able to speak my current challenges, without shame.
- I liberated myself by refusing to be anything other than me.
- I liberated myself by seeing how valuable my unique voice and experience is to everyone.
- I liberated myself by understanding the things that make me great I carried as secret shame but no longer do.
- I liberated myself by knowing I have the capacity to create lists like this. To have this internal clarity. To be able to share it with others.
I am my Great Liberator.
What impacted you the most from reading this? What is one thing you can do today to liberate yourself in the easiest way possible?
