In our vast world, freedom is a beautiful word that encapsulates so many emotions, memories, and history. Humankind has been striving for freedom, in a variety of ways, since the beginning of time, and history has clearly demonstrated that when freedom is achieved, the door to possibilities opens.

What does freedom mean to you?

Whether you have chosen freedom as part of your personal or professional mission statements or whether this powerful word has made it into your list of top five core values, the meaning of freedom is unique to each of us. For some, freedom means independence to live every day as you choose. For others, freedom means not having to answer to anyone but themselves. For another, freedom means an escape from tyranny or abuse. For many, freedom means having no constraints when it comes to changing the direction of their lives, when they want and how they want.

Deciding on a path forward can be a confusing time filled with lots of “what ifs.” What if I never find the answers? What if I fail? What if I make the wrong decision? When this happens, we are often left feeling overwhelmed, lost, and without the answers we need to progress into a new chapter. The good news is that there are ways to successfully navigate through these challenging moments and find our way out of the chaos and into clarity.

During times of transition in our lives, it is important to choose powerful words to live by that resonate with us like freedom and then use them as a light to guide our way.

Begin by listing on paper all the words that resonate with you. Then, write a paragraph under each word that describes why this word is important to you and how you’d like to use it as a beacon to lead you out of the fog. For example:

Freedom: This word resounds with me because I’ve wanted to be an entrepreneur my entire life. I’m scared, but I know this is where my heart is leading me. I want the freedom to choose how many hours I work a day, how I work, how much time I spend with my family, and how much self-care I incorporate into my day. Freedom means everything to me because it allows me to push forward through my occasionally self-imposed hurdles and fears and make my long-held dreams finally come true. I pledge to hold this powerful word, freedom, close to my heart from this day forward and always remember that freedom is the key that unlocks the door to possibilities and a contented life.

This type of journaling is an empowering process that allows us to look down on our lives like an eagle and objectively observe, listen to our hearts, and then take action steps that lead us in the right direction. In choosing words like freedom to live by, we are better enabled to let go of past beliefs that are stopping us from moving forward, make choices that align us with our ideal lives, and remember that every experience, failure, and success is a lesson we can carry forward with us on our journeys to becoming the best versions of ourselves.

Freedom. It’s energizing, empowering, and the stepping stone to new and exciting adventures.

You deserve it.

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach based in Omaha, Nebraska, who specializes in helping her clients both locally and nationwide to move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com. To learn more about becoming a certified coach visit Coach Training Alliance.

The post What Does Freedom Mean to You? Journal Exercise and Discussion by Professional Coach Vicky DeCoster appeared first on Life Coach Training & Certification.