The Joy of Liberation
One of the joyful parts of my work as a therapist is the opportunity to “grant permission” to my clients. It is amazing to me how often we remain trapped in prisons with invisible walls until someone gives us permission to walk out and experience the joy of liberation.
The walls may be constructed out of habits, beliefs, expectations, assumptions, or any number of the subconscious activities that direct more than 95% of our daily behavior. They are the things that we don’t really notice, think about, or question, until someone shines a light on them and helps us see them for what they are.
The truth is that they are not really walls at all, but accumulations of responses and ways of coping that may have served us at one time and then took up permanent residence. And because they’re familiar, automatic and even easy, we don’t notice that they create unproductive limits on our lives; and we certainly don’t think about letting them go – until someone grants us permission.
Permission sounds differently depending on the person and their invisible walls, but here are a few examples:
“It’s okay for you to –“
- make a choice
- create your own life
- change your mind
- ask for what you want
- not be perfect
- choose forgiveness
- be angry
- let go of anger
- honor your limitations
- listen to your body
- feel what you feel
- allow others to manage their feelings
- be different from others
- take care of yourself
- set boundaries
- enjoy pleasure
- be authentic
- let go of fear
- learn to receive
What invisible walls are holding you back in life? Know that they are only as strong as the power you give them. You have permission to see them for what they are and be freed to experience the joy of liberation.