I’ve been thinking a lot about freedom lately. Later this week I’ll be celebrating the holiday of Passover which is all about freedom.
What does it really mean to be free?
Can you have a roof over your head, warm clothes on your body, not be worried about where your next meal will come from and still feel stuck and enslaved?
Can you be locked behind bars or even in a hospital or nursing home and feel completely free?
Where does freedom come from?
There’s a story that comes to mind told by the late Zig Ziglar about Houdini’s failed escape. The original is as follows.
“Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist from a few years back, issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free in short order. Always he kept his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes; the heavy, metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a piece of metal, strong and flexile. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For thirty minutes he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now, he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. Finally, after laboring for two hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind it was locked, and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell. (Cited in Illustrations Unlimited, by James S. Hewett, p. 225.)”
Whether this story actually happened or was just a legend, it reminds us of the power of our mind and how our own beliefs can keep us imprisoned more than any physical space.
Sometimes all it takes to achieve freedom is to fall down in defeat and push against the door of our mind. By doing so, the belief holding us back may start to unravel, ever so slightly. As it loosens its hold on our brain, we can lean back further against that door and before we know it, the door will swing wide open for us, setting us free, just as it did for Houdini that day.
We may discover that freedom was always available to us. It was there all the time.
What is holding you back?
When do you feel the most stuck?
When do you feel the most free?
Need help getting unstuck?
Want to talk about what’s holding you back?
Please don’t be afraid to reach out.
Email me at mindfuldocmom@gmail.com or go to my calendar to schedule a free 30 minute call by clicking on the link below.
There is no obligation to work with me.
I just want to show you what is possible.
You always have the freedom to choose.
