What Freedom Means to Me

When people finish my authenticity training programs, I ask them, "What was the greatest value of this experience?" Every single one of them says the same thing: Freedom. This fascinated me, so I dug deeper to understand what they meant by it, and here’s what they shared:

“I can be myself again.”

“I finally know who I am.”

“I'm no longer scared to share my voice.”

“I've never been so happy.”

I expected the program to help people discover themselves, but I didn’t realize how much self-knowledge translates to freedom. And it’s a unique kind of freedom, one we rarely experience. We’re taught to operate within society’s established frameworks, often sacrificing our individuality. But in reality, each of us is profoundly unique — so unique, it would take a trillion years to duplicate any one person on the planet. With nearly 8 billion people on Earth, that’s an overwhelming amount of individuality.

So why do we keep trying to be like everyone else? I believe we need to embrace what makes us authentic: our innate gifts, talents, and the life path we choose. Living by someone else’s standards robs us of freedom. Sure, we all have to make sacrifices to function in society, but when those sacrifices bury our authentic selves, it’s time to step back and reassess.

For me, freedom means the opportunity to be my authentic self. In my 40s, health challenges forced me to step away from the conventional 9-to-5 grind. At the time, it felt like a setback, but now, decades later, I see it as a gift. I had the space to truly find myself and align my life with my strengths. That’s my freedom: the choice to grow in a direction that aligns with who I am. Without the drain of an inauthentic path, I have so much more to give to the world.

I’m not suggesting you make a drastic life shift, but I do encourage you to ask yourself: What does freedom mean to me? And once you know, are you living it? If the answer is no, then it’s time to consider what steps you need to take. Because you deserve the freedom to be fully, unapologetically you.

When you’ve decided what freedom means to you, take the steps to claim it. It might just be the life change you’ve been searching for.