For as long as I can remember, I’ve measured success by numbers. My score on a test, rank in a class or on a performance report, weight on the scale, speed for a run, number of students in my class, the number of “likes” on a post, the bottles of wine we own, and so on. In my new and ongoing project to learn to Love myself, though, a blissful side-effect I’ve found is freedom. Evermore freedom from measuring myself, comparing myself, the judgment of my inner critic, and weight of my insecurities.

This is way bigger than me, though. Freedom, as in the liberation of the soul, is a central part of spirituality. It is release from culture’s pressures to always be and acquire more, our need to control life and be right, the burden of needing to belong with the “in” crowd, and the scariness of age, illness, and death! Meister Eckhart said, “the spiritual life is more about subtraction than it is addition,” because the more we let go of trying to earn our worth, belonging, and Love, the freer we become to relax into and realize the Truth: We were born with all the value, inclusion, and Lovingkindness we’ll ever need!

You know the story about the Tower of Babel and people trying to build their way to heaven? Whatever one’s “heaven” is, I think we often try to earn, build, and win our way there, but freedom is realizing it was already given to us as a gift. It’s letting go and letting Love flow through us, as we give and receive unconditional goodness like it’s an unlimited supply of Halloween candy! So, I’m curious. What could you let go of to enjoy more freedom and bigger Love?

If you enjoyed this you can sign up for email notifications of future blogs on the top right.  Additionally, I have a Facebook page where I regularly post articles, blogs, quotes, meditations, etc. to encourage us to more Light and Love.  Again, to the top right there’s a link for you to “Like” the page, as well as my Instagram account if you’re interested. ❤