The Freedom of Well-Being

Your well-being, how you feel about yourself, is the foundation of your freedom. You can free yourself from guilt, resentment, overwhelm, worry, and stress in life by making better choices (self-leadership), because your choices determine how you feel and the space you are in.

Your choices are critical to feeling good, but they are not always easy. When you prioritize your well-being, it sets you free of what you don’t want and creates space for what you do. That is the freedom of well-being and a gift only you can give yourself. Here are a few examples of choices to set you free:

1. I honor my capacity.

Your capacity includes your time, energy, bandwidth and interest level. You say no to things that are not most important to say yes to your sleep, rest, and transition and recovery time, all necessary to re-energize you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

2. I keep my word.

Keeping your word to yourself and others is following through and doing what you say you will do with an open mind and heart. This helps you avoid feeling guilty or the “shoulding syndrome” and everything you do choose you do wholeheartedly.

3. I start my day with intention.

Your intention is doing something that is meaningful to you and how you spend your first waking moments sets the tone for the rest of your day. Whether you choose quiet time for prayer or going to the gym, it feels good to start your day with purpose and meaning.

4. I ask for support.

Support can look many different ways from talking to a friend, coach, or therapist, taking a class, or downloading an app. The important thing is to ask for what you need to give you the perspective, structure, and support to make your best choices.

5. I am gentle with myself.

Well-being is an ongoing practice, and you will slip up, because as humans, we all do. When you learn and grow from your mistakes, you can treat yourself in a gentle and kind way instead of a berating and harsh one, knowing you can make a better choice next time.

Choosing to prioritize your well-being requires you to acknowledge you are the common denominator in every relationship and event in your life. This is good news since you control your choices and can experience the awe, joy and freedom when you choose the things that help you feel good.