Freedom #5:  To take risks in one’s own behalf instead of choosing to be only “secure” and not rocking the boat.

We have all probably been in a situation where we’ve had something bothering us, but have been too afraid to bring it up or make a change because of how this confrontation might effect things.

How does this impact us?  It keeps us  in situations, relationships, jobs, or other things that cause us to feel stuck and unhappy.

Feeling a sense of freedom means taking the risk to take care of ourselves; to venture outside of our comfort zone and make changes that might “rock the boat” a little.  It is confining to go along with things that feel “bad”, only to make sure that everyone else is “okay”, when we aren’t “okay” ourselves.

In counseling, we often use the saying that a large part of becoming a whole person is learning to be okay when other’s aren’t okay.  This doesn’t mean that we walk all over other people or become heartless and uncaring.  It simply means that we no longer choose to feel uncomfortable and silent, when we really need to speak up and take risks to take better care of ourselves.  What risks do you need to take in your life to feel more freedom?

Adapted from Virginia Satire’s “The Five Freedoms”

Joleen Watson, MS, NCC, is a therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group. She enjoys doing marriage counseling, relationship counseling, couples counseling, and individual counseling.  Imagine Hope also specializes in family, child and adolescent counseling and serves Indianapolis area including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Noblesville, Zionsville, Westfield, and Fishers.