Freedom From The Mind

Freedom from things and to do things is great — but the ultimate freedom comes from within.

“Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity.”

Former US President Herbert Hoover’s words ring as true today as they did when they were uttered during The Great Depression almost one hundred years ago. Freedom is one of the highest human values, and one that has shaped humanity’s endeavors from time immemorial.

Oftentimes though, when we talk about freedom, we refer to freedom from things — bosses we don’t like, work we don’t want to do, and places we don’t want to be. We also refer to the freedom to do things — speak our minds, make mistakes, go surfing, build a company, travel where we want to, and select our romantic partners. Let’s call these freedoms from things and to do things physical freedoms.

While the achievement of such freedoms can significantly improve our subjective well-being, it doesn’t guarantee lasting happiness, or at the very least, contentment.

This is because there is a third type of freedom that we tend to overlook in our pursuit of physical freedoms. Paradoxically, it’s a freedom that doesn’t require large sums of wealth or years climbing the corporate ladder to attain, is…