It's Time to Be Free to Be Yourself!

by Julianne Kulosa

Julianne is a Spiritual Intuitive and Ascension Guide, empowering others to live a life of miracles and magic through trusting the power of love.

How often do you notice the rules and regulations you’ve set for yourself – or others - in order to be a good and right person, a person who deserves to enjoy their life right now?  There are so many different paths you could follow and practices you could do.  Should you focus on your health and diet?  On taking action externally in a world in chaos, be it environmentally, socially, politically or economically?  On your communication, kindness and relationships?  On your spiritual life, meditation and self-awareness?  On your home, career, service to the world and finances?  On getting rid of “bad habits” or adding all those practices you should be doing or new things you should be learning?  I’m sure you have your own list.  Will the day come that you ever actually get it all done? 
 
Today is the day to choose freedom.  How would it feel to be free to be the very unique gift that you are to the world, including that list of all those things you want to fix, change, complete, get rid of or add? 
 
Freedom to laugh, relax, enjoy, sing, dance, sleep, feel pleasure, feel pain, say yes, say no, make mistakes, allow all your emotions to be there, and know you are exactly where you’re supposed to be, as you’re supposed to be.
 
This freedom isn’t earned.  It is your birthright. 
 
What if you not only signed up for this adventure, all its ups and downs, but even wrote out your own contract of all the experiences, challenges and adventures you wanted to have?  Your job is to love yourself through every experience, knowing that as you do so, your light shines out even greater and contributes to the love that is transforming the world, making every person’s path to remembering easier.
 
Particularly this month, we are being pulled in two directions that are both seductive.  One creates fear, doubt, insecurity, poverty, powerlessness, despair, separation, depression and anxiety.  Read or listen to the media or news and it is easy to understand this energy.  Listen to your own thoughts that don’t feel good, and there is that downward pull.  The other direction is a pull from the heart.  It creates love, trust, faith, pleasure, joy, empowerment and peace.  It shows you a bigger picture, one that isn’t personal to you or about you.  It gives you relief in the knowing that what you are feeling and expressing is the collective energy of ALL beings. 
 
You have the power to choose to bring love and compassion to it all, starting with yourself.
 
You have a choice, here and now, to claim your freedom.  You are free to choose what direction you want to go in.  This does not mean that you have to fight against anything, but that’s part of the experience too. 
 
Freedom means choosing to see life as a journey, with all of your experiences as key aspects of that journey.  Once those rules come in, the strict dogma someone has fed you of how you are supposed to live your live, the joyful freedom to be yourself dissipates.  Even the things that bring out your passion and creativity feel like chores and reasons to find that you are not measuring up. 
 
Now is the time to question everything.  Question what you think, what you believe, and everything every expert out there says. 
 
The expert in your life is YOU, and others guide you in remembering, reflecting your inner knowing.  I get much of my intuitive guidance from external sources, such as through written words, spoken words, animals, clouds, sounds, or the wind.  Ask yourself, “Does this expert leave me feeling empowered, relieved, inspired, joyful, peaceful, and more free?  Or does this expert have me feel less than, not enough, uncertain, disempowered or fearful?”  It doesn’t matter how pretty the package is or how right it seems.  Is it right for YOU?
 
Even in your darkest times, those times you are overwhelmed by anxiety, doubt, negative thoughts, worry or anger, you have a choice.  You have a FREEDOM to choose to interpret what is happening in anyway you choose.  Is it the “right” interpretation?  Only you can say, and, of course, everyone else will have an opinion too.
 
First, you can begin by simply noticing you’re hung up in thoughts and feelings that don’t feel good.  I’m not talking about base emotions that arise like anger, depression, anxiety or sorrow.  Those are neutral emotions that come forth to be felt, honored and released, yet we often add our thoughts and judgments about them, making up stories that feed our “not good” feelings.  From a more divine authentic perspective, no emotion is bad or wrong.  It is all information, and especially important when wanting to live by intuitive guidance.  When you find yourself noticing those pesky negative thoughts or feelings, take a few slow breaths and call in your higher self and your divine guides and angels and ask, “What is a higher perspective I could take on this situation right now?”   Listen up!
 
You’ll find that the truth always feels good, even amid pain. 
 
Recently I have been aware of my grief and sorrow.   It often arises suddenly.  One day, calling on my higher self for better perspective, first I was immediately drawn to a lone perfect and lovely smelling rose on my walk.  I then became aware of how the heart, a place I am committed to living in as my foundation, contains love, joy, sorrow and grief.  As my open my heart more and more, the depths of all these emotions arise, and they are all beautiful.  Have you noticed that tears come not just from sorrow, but from deep felt love, gratitude and joy?
 
Sometimes we might think that being “ourselves”, going in the direction of our own joy, will mean that we lose a handle on things like kindness, generosity, caring for others, etiquette or responsibility.  Forget about everyone else and look at yourself in this moment.  You’re a good-hearted person.  That’s a given.  You’re going to make mistakes, offend people, and really blow it even with your best of intentions sometimes. 
 
It’s actually nice to take time to reflect on a situation that you went into with good intention, only to get triggered, reactive, or just blow the whole goal you had.  You get to know yourself with more compassion, and also get to see that there is a bigger game afoot than just “winning”, living up to others demands or expectations, or getting it right every time. 
 
Recently I was selling some items on Craigslist for a neighbor.  A woman was interested in buying a table.  We conversed by email, setting a time for pick up, giving her the address of my neighbor, and exchanging phone numbers.  As I hung out in my own backyard with my neighbor, I was prepared for the woman to come between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM, as she would be driving in traffic from about 45 minutes away.  I didn’t have my phone or computer with me in my backyard.  As it turns out, we agreed to 3:00 PM pick up, not 5:00 PM.  I also gave her the wrong address of my neighbor.  She proceeded to call me, email me and knock on neighbor’s doors to try to find an address that didn’t exist.  I called her upon realizing my major mistake, and she hung up on me.  This was such a mess up (could it have been any worse?), that I couldn’t help but realize that sometimes we are set up to be the villain, the bad guy.  It’s the job we’re given in that moment for the highest good.  We don’t have to, and may not ever, know “how” or “why” the mess or mistake we have made could possibly be part of the divine plan.  
 
This is also true regarding the good you put into the world.  It is so much more far reaching than you realize.  Consider that the smallest acts you do ripple out in positive contribution to all.  You most likely only catch glimpses of the effect you have, the “how” your presence on this planet is of equal yet unique contribution compared to others.
 
Although you may never personally witness the full outcome of your contribution, focusing your goal-oriented mind on your freedom to choose feeling good here and now, be it more calm, loving, grateful or light-hearted, gives the mind a job to do.
 
It is the least selfish thing you can do, for once you focus your attention on a higher perspective for yourself, you lift yourself, your energy, your vibration or frequency, to a place that opens the space to connect more deeply in your relationships.  You can better understand others with compassion and loving presence.
 
Being YOU means being it all.  Yes, it means being free to live by your personal values, shining out your love, playfulness, joy and gratitude.  It also means that when you connect to your authentic self, your true divine nature that is more than just “human”, you give yourself freedom to be the messy, disorganized, frustrated, victimized, sad, lazy, “insert something you think is wrong about you or others” part of you as well.  Phew!  What a relief! 
 
You’re always doing your best.  Really!  Try that one on.  If you were in a different state of consciousness, you would be doing things differently.  When you get reactive or act on automatic, you’re doing your best given the state of consciousness you are in. 
 
Commit to be FREE TO BE YOU!  There’s no written manual for it, no rules, no getting it wrong.  Even losing yourself, living in a way that is not true to your hearts desire, is part of the path to returning to YOU!  It’s the game we are all playing and you are not alone!
 
What would your life look like if you were truly free to be you?  In this freedom, there is no need to control others, to control anything, because with this freedom comes a great desire for all beings to be free. 

What does your personal freedom look like?  Write it down!  Be honest with yourself.  For example, I’ve played with freedom around food – the, “I can eat whatever I want!” attitude.  Ok, that is true, and for me, results in weight gain.  Instead, I get to know my body today.  What worked yesterday may be different from today.  I am honest about why I’m choosing to eat what I do, and notice the foods I know I will want more and more of that don’t have my body feel its best (say “cheese”!).  If I’m free in my food choices, I want my food to express in my body, mind and soul the most vibrant, healthy, caring and loving ME!  As a 95% vegan (dropping the strict dogma of it), food reflects a freedom to live my values as opposed to making a statement to others or hiding out for fear of offending others.  Instead, I think, “I do this because I believe it important, and you are free to eat in a way that reflects what you believe is important.”  Go in the direction of freedom, and you’ll be surprised by what shows up, since anything goes.  Freedom to be yourself gives a freedom for others to be themselves, like to eat meat or not.
 
The world needs your freedom.  It needs new ideas, new perspectives, new possibilities and the true heart-based joyful self-expression that freedom brings.  It leaves room for your humanity, for all of you.  The world needs courageous you, in each tiny choice you make to be free to express your heart and soul’s authentic desires.  Take a step in getting to know yourself, your hopes, fears, challenges, abilities, likes and dislikes.  Gift the world with your uniqueness!