Free To Connect

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë

I am back in the United States after a business trip to China. It was a very successful trip and the folks in China are pretty talented. I spent much of my time getting to know some of the new folks and reacquainting myself with those I have known.

The disappointing thing during my trip is that I was unable to blog while there. China has certain sites blocked for a variety of reasons. Those reasons are based upon Chinese government regulations. You can agree or disagree, but it is how things are done in China.

The list of sites currently blocked in China is a pretty interesting list of names. The list includes sites that I use to write my blog, so it pretty much shut me down for the week.

It is not for me to argue with China and how they control access to the internet. What I would like to say is that it feels good to have open and free ability to access the internet. Some may argue too much access given the varied types of searchable content. It also feels good to have an ability to write once again and provide hopefully a spark of motivation or inspiration.

Even without the internet, we are all free in our ability to connect and impact other peoples lives. Enjoy your freedom and turn that freedom into helping someone else.

Stay inspired my friends.

Set Sail

“The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good.” ―Brian Tracy

You have likely heard someone tell you that "your life has great potential" in an attempt to inspire and motivate you. Even I have written about each of our own potential to achieve great success in life. But in one sense, does that also strike a certain amount of fear in you?

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard called it "...the dizziness of freedom."

It is described as "a man standing on the edge of a tall building or cliff. When the man looks over the edge, he experiences a focused fear of falling, but at the same time, the man feels a terrifying impulse to throw himself intentionally off the edge. That experience is anxiety or dread because of our complete freedom to choose to either throw oneself off or to stay put. The mere fact that one has the possibility and freedom to do something, even the most terrifying of possibilities, triggers immense feelings of dread."

Does the thought of stepping out of your normal create fear inside of you?

I am sure it does but we need to overcome our perception that possibility is paralyzing. We can achieve quite a bit in our lives when circumstance seems to dictate otherwise. There are hundreds of examples that exist in which very successful people started with nothing. These were people that did not have a boat or shore to set sail from in sight. But these people embraced their own potential and searched out the shore, built a boat of possibility and set sail.

Each of us has the freedom to overcome our fears and pursue that possibility.

We will each find our own achievements, we will each find success in our life. All we have to do is step into the boat and set sail.

Stay inspired my friends!

What is Freedom

"What is freedom? Freedom is the right to choose: the right to create for oneself the alternatives of choice." -Archibald MacLeish

The word freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. It is a word that is easily ignored and also easily used in defense of one's action.

There are many types of freedom;

- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of association
- Freedom of choice
- Freedom of speech
- Economic freedom
- Academic freedom
- Intellectual freedom
- Religious freedom
- Scientific freedom

And of course, free will.

Freedom is exactly what it states, and there is no such thing as "no strings attached" when it comes to living our lives free. When we take freedom for granted, there are sure to be those that will attempt to take our freedoms away. That loss can come from an over burdening government, over zealous religious leaders, abusive relationships, and a host of other sources. For every step we fail to take in guarding our freedom is another step back into some level of bondage.

But with freedom comes responsibility. This means that we must accept the consequences of our choices. We must respect and protect each others' freedom, not just our own. Not everyone respects this responsibility and freedom without mutual responsibility becomes the law of the jungle. Everyone being out for themselves, fighting not only for their own freedom but to subjugate others to their own will.

Men and women have died for thousands of years fighting not only for your freedom to choose and believe but for mine as well. When we accept that each of us has a responsibility to protect and defend those freedoms, only then will freedom really remain freedom.

As we celebrate this week in the United States, two-hundred thirty seven years of independence; be mindful of the freedoms we have given up. We have given up freedoms in the name of national security that one could argue go beyond simple protection. We have given up financial freedoms in the form of dependence upon a government as the source of all our needs. We have given up religious freedoms in the fear of those religions different from our own. So many have simply given up.

Freedom is not lost and we can regain much of what has been lost by simply choosing to be free once again. When we acknowledge that we must work to protect not only our rights but the rights of others. When we take responsibility for our own freedom and understand the cost associated with keeping ourselves free. When we simply choose to be free, freedom then becomes real.

Stay inspired my friends.

Freedom of Speech