To me, freedom is not just a word, it’s a deeply personal and transformative experience. It’s the feeling of breathing fully, of living in alignment with your truth, without constantly seeking validation or suppressing your desires to meet someone else’s expectations.
Freedom, for me, begins with liberation from relationships that confine rather than nurture. And yes, I say this knowing it might sound harsh, but it’s honest. Sometimes, the people closest to us, be it friends, siblings, or even our parents, can unknowingly clip our wings. They hold onto us too tightly, measuring our worth by traditions, by societal norms, by outdated definitions of success and duty. And in the process, we begin to forget who we really are.
So for me, freedom means walking away from the emotional chains that hold back my growth. It’s saying no to relationships that suffocate my potential, and yes to ones that uplift, support, and encourage my evolution. It’s choosing to follow my dreams, even if they don’t fit into someone else’s version of what my life should look like.
But freedom isn’t just about external relationships, it’s also freedom from the prison of my own mind. We all carry self-doubt, fears, guilt, and the heavy weight of “what ifs.” True freedom, for me, is the quiet, steady journey of unlearning those self-sabotaging voices. It’s waking up and choosing not to be ruled by negative self-talk. It’s forgiving myself for past mistakes. It’s looking in the mirror and choosing compassion over criticism. It’s trusting that I am enough, even when I’m still healing, still learning.
Freedom is living life on your own terms, not selfishly, but authentically. It’s wearing what you love without worrying about judgment. It’s building a career that lights up your soul, even if others don’t understand it. It’s being able to rest without guilt and hustle without apology. It’s feeling safe in your solitude, and strong in your silence.
To me, freedom is also emotional independence, the power to feel deeply but not be ruled by emotions. It’s the balance between caring for others and still choosing yourself. It’s having boundaries without shame, and dreams without fear.
In its essence, freedom is peace. A peace that comes not from having a perfect life, but from knowing that I’m living a life that’s mine. Not borrowed, not dictated, not handed down, but created by me, for me.
And that, I believe, is the most sacred kind of freedom.
The Thought Box 
Leave a reply to Caleb Cheruiyot Cancel reply