The concept of self-realization and freedom as a whole
Self-realization is a targeted search and development of one’s talents and capabilities in various fields of activity. In other words, if a person feels that he has realized his potential, has reached the maximum level, is proud of his achievements and is recognized by society, then we can say that this person is self-actualized.
The concept of freedom is interpreted less clearly. Most definitions are vague, and those that are specified can differ greatly from each other. However, most often freedom is understood as complete independence from external factors, independence raised to an absolute, as well as the will to act in accordance with one’s desires.
The first step on the path to success is always self-realization, which is impossible without a sense of inner freedom as a condition for personal self-realization. Thus, the concepts of “freedom” and “self-realization” are inextricably linked. You can often hear the expression from personal growth coaches: “freedom is the goal of self-realization.” This shows that these two concepts are closely related.
Stop making comparisons
In the age of consumption, many look up to the successes of others:
- “Our neighbors bought a new SUV.”
- “The Petrovs’ daughter entered a prestigious university.”
- “Ivanov has already been promoted twice, but I’m still in the same position, no prospects.”
All these and similar thoughts make a person desire something more. The desire to live better in itself has never harmed anyone. It’s bad when envy of other people’s achievements poisons life and prevents you from enjoying simple joys.
A feeling of lightness and freedom comes to those who intelligently calculate their strength, rejoice in small successes and understand that everything has its time.
Understanding freedom in the modern world
Just a few centuries ago, freedom was an unattainable dream for most people. In Russia there was serfdom, in most European countries there was slavery. The slave had no rights, only duties - fulfilling the will of those to whom he belonged. It is logical that slaves did not have to think about self-development and self-realization at that time.
Today, after the abolition of serfdom and slavery, a person has the right to determine his own destiny and be free, but only within the framework of what is permitted by society. There is a widespread belief among sociologists that absolute freedom does not exist. There will always be barriers for a person, be it prohibitions established by society, for violation of which sanctions will be applied, or internal restrictions arising from a person’s moral principles. However, all these barriers in no way prevent a person from realizing himself.
Don't get attached to people
They talk about this a lot, but one way or another, when we trust someone, get close to this person, we experience a feeling of attachment. We should not shut ourselves off from the world, but we must recognize that friends, lovers and mentors come into our lives and bring with them a lesson.
Every meeting, every love story teaches us something. It is important to understand that people are capable of changing over time, and we will not hold anyone back by force.
A wonderful feeling of freedom arises when you understand that you need to enjoy every moment of life, because it is unique.
The meaning of freedom for human self-realization
The more experience a person has in various spheres of life, the broader his horizons, knowledge and skills, the less dependent a person is on the people around him and society as a whole, and therefore the more free he is. Expanding your boundaries and removing internal restrictions allows you to maximize your potential and realize yourself as an individual.
The degree of freedom that society allows a person to fully use will be his field for self-realization. In addition, the individual improves by using the opportunities that society provides him. A person will develop harmoniously and fully only on the condition that he can make his choice independently, without regard to other people’s opinions or other external factors - in other words, a person must be free.
The illusion of control
A feeling of love and a sense of freedom arise in a person who has given up the idea of controlling everything around him. We come up with illusions ourselves and later pay for them. The most common is the illusion of control - we believe that we can influence events and people, many books have been written about this. In reality, we can only control ourselves.
Once you let go of the idea that you can force someone to take a certain action, you can rid yourself of meaningless expectations and make your life easier.
The role of will in self-improvement
Self-improvement is the purposeful development of valuable qualities and abilities, as well as personal growth consistent with a person’s goals. Will plays a decisive role for successful self-development. For example, a person who strives for self-improvement with all his soul, but does not take any steps to realize himself, only dreaming of the heights that he can achieve, will never fully reveal his potential. It's a matter of will. If a person is diligent, sometimes through force, and does not give in to laziness, it means that he is ready to develop.
In addition, a harmoniously developing person must have his own opinion and not be afraid to express it, even if it is opposite to the public one. To do this, you also need to have developed willpower.
From childhood, a child gets used to the fact that the opinion of his parents is undeniable; he is taught not to contradict and agree with his elders in everything. The child has to adapt first to his parents, then to his teachers and peers, and thus his willpower is muffled, his own opinion merges with that of others, and the child can no longer make decisions on his own.
Therefore, if society’s point of view goes against your beliefs, listen to yourself first. There is no need to bend under other people's pressure - you need to overcome it, and only in this case will you be able to achieve something more.
Another common enemy of those who have embarked on the path of self-improvement is internal doubts and uncertainty. “What will others think about my actions?”, “Will I really succeed?”, “Am I doing the right thing by doing this and not otherwise?” – the appearance of all these questions in my head is logical and understandable. However, they should be driven away, since the longer you delay making a decision, the more time you will waste. It’s better to try, even if unsuccessfully, than not to try at all - this way you will at least gain experience.
Responsibility for your choice
Whatever decision you make, it will definitely have consequences, the responsibility for which will fall on your shoulders. You need to understand that every action you perform, every word, action and even look has its own outcome. It is logical that the resulting outcome may or may not satisfy a person, that is, be positive or negative for him.
The ability to take responsibility for every decision is another important point necessary for successful self-improvement. Therefore, before taking any action, you need to immediately think about what consequences it may lead to. If the result does not depend on you and your risks are minimal, then try and take risks, get out of your comfort zone. However, if the situation is completely under your control, then make every effort to achieve the desired result. For example, if you make a promise, then keep it.
Only a person who is fully aware of the consequences of his actions and takes responsibility for his decisions can be considered a person on the path to self-realization.
Is this what I want? Is this where I'm going?
Listening to your true self is no less important than changing the oil in your car on time or taking care of your appearance. If stress at work has reached its peak, take a vacation, get out of town and be quiet for a while. This will allow you to collect your thoughts and restore your shaken mental balance.
To be free is to know moderation in everything. Understanding that whatever I own is “enough for me.”
With such a balanced approach to life, attention to your needs and the ability to filter out what really matters in the flow of information, you are guaranteed a sense of freedom.
We advise
- Decide on your goals. Think about what you would like to do in the future, so as not to grab onto everything in a row and not quit what you started halfway. Identify one area of your life that you want to improve first. Start with smaller goals and gradually move on to larger and larger achievements. For example, start doing exercises first thing in the morning or join a gym.
- Come up with a plan of action. It may be a little vague at first, but you will become more specific as you begin to execute it. By following it, you will have an idea of where you are heading and what steps you need to take to get there.
- Prepare yourself mentally. Dispel all fears and doubts about your future, overcome internal barriers, protect yourself from external pressure and realize that only you are responsible for your life. Once again, strengthen your faith that you will succeed. Understand that only you are the architect of your own happiness.
- Take action. The most difficult thing is to take the first step, then everything will go like clockwork. Prepare for the fact that it will not be easy for you at first, but you will soon get used to it and the changes you make in your life will be easier.
- Ask your family to support you. On the path of each person, difficult situations may arise, from which it will be difficult to get out without the help and support of loved ones. If you don’t know what to do and have completely given up, be sure to turn to those who love you - together you will definitely come up with something.
- Expand your social circle. In the process of self-improvement, you will find new acquaintances and friends. Try to get to know them better, they can tell and teach you what you didn’t know or couldn’t do yet. New people will help you improve and develop further, as they will provide you with new emotions and knowledge.
- Do not give up. In order to achieve something, you need to work hard and put in maximum effort. Therefore, don’t give up if you don’t succeed on the first try, it’s better to try again.
- Don't stop there. A popular expression says that there is no limit to perfection. If you have achieved what you originally planned to achieve, set new goals for yourself. Believe in yourself and you will succeed.
