10 Ways to Forfeit Your Freedom
Freedom, Peace, goals, gratitude, happiness, inner peace, positive attitude, success, tribute July 2nd, 2008Happy Fourth of July to all of my U.S. readers - and everyone else also! (Yes, I know it’s a couple of days early.)
I would like to introduce you to Arthur, someone I know personally. Arthur has a beautiful wife and three teenage children. Arthur just left last week for training so that he can soon be shipped overseas to protect and insure our freedoms. He is giving up everyone and everything he loves so that you and I personally can embrace freedom. You see that’s just it. Until we personally embrace this freedom can we really pay tribute to our troops???? Think about it for a minute.
U.S. troops die every day for you and me - to preserve the freedoms upon which this country was founded. Do you take that lightly? I know I have taken them for granted. I hear on the news “10 troops died today, 32 troops died today in battle on the….. ” Soon, a person becomes hardened to words.
I was thinking this afternoon…. these troops die every day for your freedom, for my freedom - for the peace we enjoy. The question is “What are you doing to embrace this freedom and make yourself, this country and world a better place?” You see, we watch them die, all to let the battle in our own minds continue and take over our lives and not even embrace the freedom that is right in front of us. Until we choose to win this battle we will never appreciate what our troops are doing for us. 
Photo by: Jeff Kubina
10 ways that you forfeit your freedom:
1. Holding on to past failures.
2. Self limiting beliefs - “I can’t.” I’m not good enough.”
3. Trying to change everyone around you to fit your mold.
4. Trying to fit the mold of all those around you and fulfill the expectations that others have for you.
5. Bad attitudes and filling your mind with negative thoughts.
6. Victimizing yourself because of your circumstances.
7. Seeking revenge.
8. Beating yourself up.
9. Quarreling and fighting.
10. Do nothing.
Men and women are dying every day so that:
1. You can learn from past mistakes and look forward to better things.
2. “YOU can!”
3. You can make YOURSELF better.
4. You can set yourself apart
5. You can have so many blessings.
6. You can let go of everything that holds you back.
7. You can CHOOSE to forgive and love anyway.
8. You can think of all the reasons “you can” and DO it.
9. You can unite with others to do great things.
10. You can make yourself, this country and world a better place.
The troops are working to clear out any outside circumstances that might hold you back from your dreams and the peace that can be yours. It’s up to you to clear away the mental blocks so that you can help make this country and world a better place. Until you let go of all that is holding you back from peace and personal success you will never fully appreciate what your troops are doing for you and reach forward to great things. Will you rise to the challenge our troops have set for YOU? The freedoms are yours. Will YOU embrace them?
What are some other ways that you see people forfeit their freedom?
In what ways can you better embrace your freedom?
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Happy Fourth of July to you too and thank you for writing this very inspirational article!
You’re 100% correct. People are fighting everyday out there to help us maintain freedom so that we can live happy and healthy lives! It’s up to us to also fight here at home for peace for ourselves and others!
You gave a lot to think about here and point out great truths about how we forfeit our freedom! We should be more aware of what the deaths of thousands of people out there afford us and appreciate it more by becoming better people and helping in ways that we can…here at home.
Doc KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Jennifer -
All of us owe a HUGE gratitude to these brave young men and women. I also enjoyed your list of attitude and found it very intriguing and thought provoking.
On July 4th, We shall also remember the World War II veterans who are dying everyday. This is our last chance to pay our respect to them. I wrote an article in my early days which still brings tears to my eyes.
http://www.successsoul.com/2008/03/29/price-of-freedom-have-we-forgotten-their-sacrifice/
Thank you for sharing this great post!
Shilpan
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Yes, Dr. KC it’s all up to us - 100%. Taking advantage of these freedoms is how we show our appreciation. Otherwise they just die for nothing.
Shilpan, yes, we owe a huge gratitude to our troops. Look at what they have done for us. I love your post about the WW II veterans. Thank you for sharing that with us. You are one who truly appreciates these veterans and show it by your life. Thank you for that.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
People die everyday for a speach of freedom, freedom has no war, no blood, no tears.
one day you will see what all “leaders” are doing in this world, not only in USA, we all die in vain.
there is no way to peace, peace is the way. you are intelligent people, think twice, you will no longer accept any death in your name.
no nationalism, no attack to any specific government. the world has all values distorted.
no bullet will save a live, violence promotion, isnt peace institution.
soon you will meet me, we will be friends and noone else is going to die for any Freedom.
People are all good around the world. a man who sees far enough, has no bounderies, see its own back of the head.
Leyo!
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
That was a beautiful post - and so true
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Awesome! Love this, I will be linking to it in my article on “Freedom from Ourselves” LOL
I could add number 11 to the list “Not taking care of our health” . Without our health how can we expect to accomplish our goals and dreams?
Stumbling and digging this like crazy!
Hope you have a lovely Independence Day!
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Leyo! Thank you for you opinion. Something to think about..
Jeanne, Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Dr. Nicole, That is a great way to put it - freedom from ourselves! Yes, without our good health we certainly can’t do very much. I love how to teach us to take care of ourselves so we can live a full life.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:08 am
A very inspiring post and many true points. Happy Independence day to all in the US. I know how important and proud this day is to you. I feel the utmost sympathy for every troop (and their families) that risks their life on behalf of their nation and not only put themselves at risk but have to live with the burdon of possibly taking other peoples lives who are under the same orders as them - to protect their motherland and it’s principles. It is something that the public don’t neccesarily appreciate. A human isn’t emotionally equipped to kill another man and it’s something that they never get over, mentally.
Bless the soldiers for their sacrifice. Hopefully you can get lots of soldiers to come here and read this post as it will surely inspire them.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:40 am
I ain’t forfeiting my freedom.
Great list there! Glad that you shared it Jennifer!
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:29 am
Thanks for a very thoughtful post, Jennifer!
In order to embrace freedom, I am working to be more tolerant of all people in the world. If everyone could be more tolerant, maybe we wouldn’t have to have our troops anywhere but home!
My Dad was a WW II veteran. He never spoke much about his experiences in France, Luxemboug and Germany. I really didn’t know how much it meant to him until he passed away and I learned that he wished to be buried in a Veteran’s cemetery.
I will never forget the chills and feelings I had as they played “Taps” at his funeral!
And to continue the “decorating” post from BWAB, I love the photo in your header!
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:34 am
Hi Jennifer,
Happy 4th of July to your and your family also.
You’ve written a beautiful post that can teach anyone that life is too short to waste. We do need to take control of our lives and make wise choices so as not to waste our “freedoms”
Yes, each day troops are fighting (and dying) for our independence. Let’s not forget them or any of the Veterans who fought before. They are my heroes.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:13 am
After a year of misery in which the English rugby team got beaten by Wales, the soccer team failed to qualify for the European Championships and the cricket team got beaten by New Zealand, I now have to put up with a bunch of cocky Americans telling me to celebrate a famous English defeat. Well I’m not having it, the Cross of Saint George will be flown at half mast, tea will be drunk all day even though I hate it and I’ll be officially sulking from midnight tonight for 24 hours.
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:42 am
Sean, Welcome and thank you for your very thoughtful comment. That really struck me when you said, “A human isn’t emotionally equipped to kill another man and it’s something that they never get over, mentally.” I think that is so true. Yes, bless them for their sacrifice! I hope this post truly does inspire them.
Daniel, Welcome! so glad you are participating in the freedom! Keep it up!
Linda, Welcome! and thank you for sharing your story about your father. That was so touching. I’m sure it was very hard for your father to talk about the war. I know it would have been for me. It must have been something special to him - knowing the sacrifices he made for so many.
That is something I’m working on now - becoming more tolerant of people. If we all learn how to do that then yes, there would be much less war!
Glad you like the photo at the top!
Barbara, yes, this is a good lesson to teach others not to take life too short. It really is about making wise choices.
We do owe our troops a lot!
Tim, no you don’t “have” to celebrate a famous English defeat. (Remember you wrote about that last week or so.) You may go have your pity party. Enjoy and let us know when your party is over.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Hi Jennifer.
I believe that one thing to be aware of is how much we, as human beings, have the tendency to be judgemental. One of my faults I hate to admit; it’s an out-dated survival mechanism and I keep catching myself.
Being judgemental keeps us separate from each other (and ourselves), and it is through that separation that we build the walls that deny our freedom.
The way around this would be to, instead of judging others, let your own light shine and in so doing you give others the freedom to let their light shine too.
July 6th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Davina, Thank you for your comment. It’s such a great one. Being judgemental is so detrimental. (I didn’t mean that to rhyme.
) Yes, we often develop it to protect ourselves. It’s just an extension of our own insecurities and just as you said seperates us from others and ourselves. We think we are protecting ourselves, but in reality we make things hard on ourselves when we do this. Yes, shining our own light does give permission to others to shine their lights. I like how you said that. Thanks again for your comment!