One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is to confuse escapism with freedom.
I recently spoke with a number of individuals who use drugs. When discussing why they choose to use drugs all of them say that one of the benefits of using drugs is that they help you feel better for a short while. They make everything that you worry about go away for a brief moment. That’s escapism.
Now escapism is great sometimes. It helps us to unwind. It is good to watch a really great movie or read a fantastic book and get so absorbed in a well told story that you forget where you are, just for a little while. But the trouble with escapism is that you are merely finding a different world to inhabit momentarily and when the moment is over you return to the same place you were when you left. It’s a dangerous habit to be ruled by. Freedom on the other hand is about finding ways to deal with issues so that they no longer weigh you down. They no longer exist. They have been dealt with. Now that sounds much better.
You see…
…with escapism you spend your life standing still; with freedom you spend life on a journey growing and experiencing joy.
…with escapism you hide from life; with freedom you embrace it.
…with escapism you wake up dreading what might happen today; with freedom you wake up excited about what might happen today.
…with escapism you spend you life fighting; with freedom you spend your life flying.
…escapism is easy and gets you nowhere; freedom takes effort buts gets you where you want to go.
But how do we choose freedom over escapism? Here are a few tips to get you on the road to freedom.
1. Always make positive decisions. Whenever you have to make a major decision in life always make it for positive reasons. For example change jobs because you want to do the new job you’re moving to, not because you hate your current job.
2. Never put off a job you don’t want to do. They just stack up and makes escapism all the more appealing. Resolve to get it done TODAY.
3. Never let the sun go down on your anger. (This is one I struggle with, because I like to sulk.) Where ever possible resolve any issues you have with someone before you go to sleep, otherwise you will only wake in a bad mood the next morning and that’s no way to start the day.
4. Never say “that’ll do”. Have an attitude of excellence. In everything you do give one hundred percent. There is nothing like finishing the day knowing that you gave your all. You lived fully. That’s freedom.
5. Make integrity the highest priority. Be true to yourself. Whoever you are, do not compromise yourself. Your values are the only thing that can not be taken from you – you have to give them away. Don’t. It’s like giving your very self away!
None of these things are easy to do, but they are possible. Choose one this week to focus on and keep it in your mind. Write it down. Stick it somewhere you can see it often, throughout the day. Use it to review your day. Work at it until it becomes a habit, second nature! Then start on the next one. Before you know it you will be freer than you imagined and living the life you’ve always dreamed, not dreaming of the life you wished you lived!
