This quote is well known because it is in the lyrics of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song. This song is considered to be one of Marley’s best works. Interestingly, when he wrote this song in 1979, he had been diagnosed with cancer. He was still performing but was secretly in a lot of pain. A few years later, his illness would take his life. But his music and the meaning behind this song, still resonates with us, even decades later.
You may be more aware of the restrictions in your outer life, such as a lack of time, money, or opportunities, and the ways those things limit your ability to live the life you want. But what about the more powerful inner restrictions you have? Such as rigid thoughts, beliefs, and expectations? Both of these restrictions can keep you in a state of chronic imprisonment for most of your life.
These rigid thoughts can affect much more than your immediate goals to lose a few pounds or start a new business. The whole big picture of your life, including the person you are and the life you are living can be influenced as well. I talked about this in-depth with the science behind the law of attraction.
Take a moment right now to consider the ways in which you may be holding yourself prisoner. Are you being the person you really want to be, or are you being the person that others expect you to be? Are you living your life in a way that feels safe and won’t rock the boat too much or upset the people around you?
The truth is, many of us are living in cages with the door wide open. When you begin examining your rigid beliefs and subsequent actions, you may realize that you have been holding yourself in a state of mental slavery simply because you have some negative expectations about what might happen if you were to set yourself free.
For example, if you were to start being the person you really want to be and living life on your own terms, how would your friends and family react? How would your neighbors and business associates react? If you worry that they might not like it, you’ll be more tempted to hold yourself back.
However, remember that your negative expectations and fears are simply stories that you are telling yourself. They may or may not be true. Very often, when you start changing your expectations to be more positive, you will start seeing more positive results that reflect your expectations. When you expect people to react badly, they often will. When you expect them to react positively, they often will.
Regardless of their reactions, the fact remains that no one can free you except yourself. To emancipate yourself from mental slavery, you will need two important things: clarity and courage.
First, clarity. Take some time to get very clear about what freedom would look like for you personally. Would it mean living somewhere other than you do now? Having a different career? Being more authentically yourself in all situations? If there were truly no limits for you, what would you want to do? What would your life look and feel like?
Once you have clarity about these things, next comes the need for courage. Are you willing to free yourself mentally and physically, and start living a life that makes you happy no matter what anyone else says about it? Are you willing to let go of negative expectations and forge your own path anyway? Are you willing to be afraid and do it anyway?
If any of these changes seem overwhelming, remember that emancipation can be a gradual process, and you do not need to make drastic changes all at once. The most important step is to free your thoughts and beliefs first, and then let them lead you to the right action steps to express your newfound sense of freedom.
