Shawn Phillips | Start Strong Monday

Freedom Can Take Many Forms

A few weeks back we enjoyed our annual American celebration of Freedom—the 4th of July, Independence Day. Since then, I’ve been doing some thinking about freedom and what it means to be free.

Americans love our Freedom. We hold it high and display it proudly for the world to see. For good reason too: There’s something very special about the freedoms we Americans are afforded. There must be. We’ve confirmed it’s worth dying for.

Yet, beyond a pick-up truck, a cold beer and a shotgun, what is freedom?

The founding-fathers of this great country fought for freedom: Freedom of religion, freedom from oppressive rule by Great Britain, and the freedom to self-govern.

Fortunately, our founding fathers’ wisdom recognized the freedom of the individual, as is captured in what has been called the most potent words in American history, from The Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.“

Those are some strong words, don’t you agree? Feels empowering just to read them, like, “Damn! We’ve really got it made.”

And we do. Our attention not locked on a moment-to-moment fight for rights, “we the people,” have been afforded a terrific head start in the pursuit of a happy, fulfilling life.

The question this leads me to ask is: How are you living into this gift?

Are you playing the role of the deserving, elite or living in gratitude for the gifts by nurturing your own personal freedom forward every single day?

While most are quick to wave a patriotic flag in praise of freedom, I think most Americans take freedom for granted—in part because they’ve not known its absence.

Thus, rather than our freedoms serving as a foundation from which to build, freedom has become the full-on “pursuit of happiness.” Ironically, it is in this very “pursuit of happiness” that many forsake the very freedom they so profess to love.

On a personal level “freedom” is quite literally “the ability to do what you want to do, whenever you want to do it.” And what could bring more happiness than that? No rules, no requirements, nothing to get in our way. Just pure, simple Freedom!

Like the children of Hollywood celebrities, you and I enjoy significant advantages over other children of the world. And just as no well-to-do parent who gave their child a “leg up” ever dreamt their child would become a life drop-out, addict—making it easy is usually well-intended, but doesn’t always deliver favorable outcomes.

If you consciously value the freedoms we’ve been granted as a part of our American heritage how might you be living differently? Would your efforts to sustain, support and develop your personal freedom be more honoring of those who fought and continue to serve to deliver and protect our freedom?

I can promise you that no soldier has ever stepped into battle, willingly giving his or her life so that you might enjoy the “freedom” to sit on the overstuffed couch, stuffing your over plumped face and while turning your brain to mush with twisted, less than reality shows and distortion media on TV.

I promise. It’s never, ever happened.

Becoming physically, mentally and emotionally enslaved to stimulus—to the consumption of all manner of physical, mental and emotionally damaging intake, including America’s most common addiction, unconscious eating, is not freedom.

How Free Are You?
If you cannot jump into the air to catch a spinning Frisbee, sprint across the grass to field a fly-ball or swim the length of a pool, just how free are you?

If you cannot resist the draw of sugar, or stuffing snack “food” in your mouth while you stare at the boob-tube or watch a movie, if you have to have a Red Bull or some whacked out energy-shot cocktail to get you going, your freedom is compromised.

If you’ve allowed your body to fade such that it limits your freedom, if you’ve become enslaved to food, drink and pleasures, you’re losing freedom moment by moment, with every bite nougat-filled delight.

No question that the right to bear arms and the protection of religious choice are precious freedoms. Yet, I contend that your most precious freedom begins inside and radiates through your mind, body, and soul—it’s from your inner strength, physical capacity and consciousness where your personal freedom expands or contracts. For a strong vital body, a clear focused mind and an inspired spirit are the true foundations of freedom even in the most oppressive environment.

More dreadful than having your freedom snatched away is to throw your personal freedom away. No one does this willingly or with great pleasure—it happens unconsciously, in the absence of awareness and usually in the shadow of even the most mild addiction.

And yet for all the flag waving and freedom preaching we do as a country, the truth is that no country can be freer than the people who make it up.

Thus, if the citizens are quietly enslaved—largely asleep—the very freedoms we salute may actually be keeping us cozy and sleeping—protecting us from awakening from the dream of freedom. Doubt that? Try this one on: When was the last time the USA was wide awake and united? I suggest it was WWII, when our freedoms were at great risk.

Nourishing Freedom

It can take years, for many a lifetime, to discover that the pursuit of happiness without regard to contribution makes for an empty life.

It’s not the freedom to consume that is most profoundly American but the freedom to produce, to create and to contribute that lights the torch of freedom, nourishes our souls and forges country’s strength.

Freedom is earned and thus can be lost. Freedom must be cultivated and strengthened from the inside out. It expands with daily practice and attention—and contracts in the absence of awareness and presence of fear and addiction, however subtle.

The freedom we have here in the US of A is something special. It deserves to be treated as such.

When you care for yourself, exercising your body, nourishing your mind, nurturing positive emotions; you’re not just strengthening yourself but your country as well. You’re living in appreciation and respect for the freedoms you have.

Exercise that freedom; go for a run, spin that cycle, climb that mountain, lift the steal and in so doing know you’re waving the red, white and blue loud and proud. In fact there may be no more patriotic thing you can do this day, or every day than to nourish and nurture a strong, vibrant capable body, mind and soul.

I look forward to the day in this not too distant future when American’s traveling abroad are easy to spot because, “those people from the US are always so fit!”

To Your Life @ Full Strength,

Shawn
Follow Me: /Twitter/shawn_phillips

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Meet The Author, Shawn

Known as "The Fitness Philosopher," for his deep, clear approach to the cutting through the fitness conundrum, Shawn is a 20+ year veteran in the field of Lifestyle Fitness and Peak Performance. Author of several best-selling book, with one of the most photographed physiques in history, Shawn, with his brother, Bill Phillips (Body for LIFE) catapulted EAS sports nutrition into the world leader and Muscle Media magazine and the documentary movie, Body of Work. He created the first computerized training system in PowerBuilding and the popular Variable Split System for Muscle Mass. Now, in his 40's, a husband and father of two young children, Shawn is passionate about helping busy, high-achieving "men in the middle" enjoy vibrant, energized, amazing, Full Strength lives! He has recently created the World’s 1st and only true premium nutrition shake for men, Full Strength — clinically proven to build muscle, burn fat and boost energy. His most recent book, Strength for LIFE is the "how to" guide to a Lifestyle of Fitness Freedom.