COVID-19 has challenged me to think about our freedoms seriously. It's been awkward and uncomfortable for me as an American to be caught between being told I have to stay home but believing it’s vital to do what's necessary to stop the virus and protect our families, communities, and our nation.
Indeed, in the days to come, there’s going to be an essential conversation about how our freedoms as Americans have been affected or changed by COVID -19 from the top down. What was the government's responsibility, what are the various political points of view, and what does it all mean to each of us as individuals?
Let’s start by examining where each of us can quickly make an impact. What does freedom mean to you as an individual, and how do you intentionally live it out in your life? Freedom is one of my core values. I have spent a lot of time thinking about and studying freedom in my life. From the time my feet hit the floor in the morning, am I free? Are my thoughts directed intentionally from my heart and mind and connected to my values? Am I an influencer directing my life intentionally, or am I being influenced and led without really exercising my freedom and the level of awareness, I believe is right my life? If I’m immediately connecting to the news cycle, social media, or emails, am I free? What system or habits must I create to guard my freedom and live it out intentionally?
Ok, Let’s go deeper. Have you exercised your freedom and accepted the responsibility of defining yourself, establishing your identity as an individual and choosing your core values, or have you allowed yourself to be defined? The truth is either you will do the work to define yourself, or someone or something else will define you. Whether it’s another person, momentum or emotion, if you don’t do the work, you will undoubtedly be relinquishing freedom.
The ability to choose is one of the greatest freedoms we possess as Americans. Is COVID - 19 enough of a challenge to prompt us as Americans citizens to take more responsibility for the outcome and the direction of our society? I believe this process starts with each of us as individuals. If you don’t know who you are and what you believe as an individual, you cannot understand how you fit in your family, how you fit on your team or business, and what your role is in your community and the culture as a whole.
Don’t get frustrated! Searching for my purpose, trying to define myself and organize my values left me frustrated. I read all the best selling books, I listened to the top Ted Talks and asked the opinions of all the smartest people I knew, and I still couldn’t figure it out. Here is what I believe now! There’s no such thing as finding purpose or identity. There’s no such thing as discovering it. Identity can’t be discovered; it MUST BE DEFINED! It's your responsibility to define yourself.
I believe that understanding your purpose and establishing your identity starts with taking personal responsibility to create a vision for your own life. To become 100% of who you were born to be, you must decide why you are unique and then bring that to the culture. You must do the work to define yourself and connect how you want to act to what you believe. Living free and being fully prepared for the opportunities and the adversity that is ahead for all of us as Americans will require this understanding from each of us as individuals first.
If you're ready to do the work to define yourself, follow this link to the Mayhem Mindset Course https://mayhemmindsetcourse.com/product-launch-sales-page33470670
Keep Coming Forward!
Jim Hensel
