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9 min read
By Lisa Trank |
March 18, 2020 |
- Transformation ,
- Personal Development ,
- Finding Happiness
When we think of the term, “free spirit,” we imagine a person who steers their own course in life, unencumbered by common burdens or concerns. Some look at those who identify as free spirits as being irresponsible or childish, though this mindset offers lessons to inform us how we can live life on our own terms.
If you’re someone who considers yourself an independent thinker or doer, who pushes against society’s envelope and is deeply committed to finding your own path, you may be a free spirit. Are you curious as to whether the free spirit path is for you?
Ten Signs You’re A Real Free Spirit
If you identify with any of these signs, chances are you have a free spirit waiting to be let loose into the world!
1. You’re Independent-Minded
Independent people thrive on listening to their own voices, regardless of the situation or circ*mstance. This key personality trait of the free spirit is a common one in innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative artists, as an independent streak also relies on a strong foundation and belief in oneself.
Are you the person in the room who always finds a new way of looking at things? Free spirits defy expectations and will always see the unexpected in equally unlikely ways. These kinds of thinkers can be great assets on a creative team, as they will always find a new way to look at an idea. Free spirits are also incredible advocates for innovation, as they are not afraid to stand up and for their ideas, no matter how much it veers from the rest of the crowd.
2. Fear Doesn’t Stop You
Dale Carnegie said, “Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it… that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.” Free spirits feel fear, but they don’t allow that feeling to be something that stops them. Instead, a free spirit will work through the fear and let it serve as a motivating factor. In fact, most free spirits will tell you that any success is not worth having unless it’s achieved with a healthy dose of moving through fear.
3. You Have a Strong Spine.
While it can be said that free spirits go with the flow of life, they accomplish it with a healthy and strong sense of self. This translates into living with intention and purpose and one that is not defined by anyone else. A free spirit walks the talk and in many cases, creates the language that makes up the talk.
4. Free From Attachment
To live as a free spirit, one has to be willing to let go, or walk away from the things that might weigh others down such as conventional relationships, careers, and other traditional trappings of modern life.
You might find a free spirit selling their material goods and living in a van, or not staying tethered to one place for very long. Or perhaps a free spirit may choose to live simply with a commitment to not participating in consumerism. Minimalism is often a choice of free spirits as this lifestyle embodies freedom from many of the things that weigh us down. Free spirits enjoy their own company and thrive on solo time, and putting themselves first.
5. Adventure is Your Middle Name.
Actually, if you’re a free spirit, adventure is your first, last, and middle name.
You thirst for new places, people, food, and experiences, so much so that you’re more often than not packing a backpack to head off to places unknown by anyone else.
Chances are pretty high that you value experiences over material possessions, and devote a significant portion of your income to travel and adventure.
6. You Need Space
Do you often feel claustrophobic in indoor spaces, or choose to occupy your own space? Do you need time off from other people? Free spirits are able to sustain long periods of “alone” time and often feel hemmed in by an office, similar workspaces, or even living arrangments.
7. You Have Your Own Sense of Time
Free spirits have their own internal clock, developing an intuitive sense of time that best suits those not tethered to a time clock or regular working hours. They thrive on coming and going as they decide, rather determined by others.
8. You’re a Daydream Believer
Dream big, dream often is the free spirit’s mantra, as well as vision boards, brainstorming, and being an advocate for others to follow their passions. A free spirit friend can be a wonderful support system and role model for others to live with more purpose.
9. You’re Not a Hippie Wannabe
Some of the most successful people today that we emulate are free spirits. Think of Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, or those creative artists who expect the extraordinary as their day-to-day reality and whose free spirit energy has resulted in innovations with lasting impacts.
10. You Love Learning and Life
Free spirits thirst for knowledge, whether that is another language, a new cooking skill, or a second (or third) career. Not willing to settle for regularity, free spirits seek out the new as how they live their life.
Being a free spirit is not limited to gender, race, sexuality, or religion. Many cultures also believe that free spirit energy is not only the realm of humans; animals and even objects can also represent and contain free spirit energy.
The most common animal associated with a free spirit is the wolf, a symbol of fierce independence, personal freedom, and living life with power and purpose. Other animals who embody this energy are felines (large and small), coyotes, horses, eagles, falcons, and dolphins/porpoises. Objects which represent a free spirit can range from crystals, amulets, feathers, triskelions, peregrinates, the moon, wings, open delta, or yin/yang and numbers, all of which are showing up in the form of artwork, home decor, personal altar objects, and even tattoos.
How to Access Your Free Spirit
Whether you call yourself a free spirit, are married to one or have a child with this energy, there is an abundance of tools to help you cultivate or support this valuable life resource. The number one free spirit attribute that all of us should cultivate is trust in oneself. A free spirit doesn’t question their decisions, ideas, actions, or people’s opinions, even in the face of possible failure. In fact, a free spirit will more likely go toward failure as that experience exemplifies what keeps them going – courage and being a nonconformist.
If you’ve ever dreamed of walking away from a safe, yet boring job to a less secure yet more thrilling adventure, your free spirit is talking to you. If you’ve woken up in the middle of the night and listened to that small creative voice, your free spirit is aching to be heard.
Here are some concrete things you can do today to strengthen your free spirit:
- Get flexible. If you rely heavily on a set schedule, loosen the reins on it and see what innovation takes hold.
- Be here. Now. Spontaneity is the trademark of the free spirit. Whether it’s one day or one week, or one year, allow yourself to live in the moment from time-to-time. This can help you learn to go with the flow and learn the free spirit’s life lesson that letting go of control can be liberating.
- Embrace chaos. While being organized is all the rage these days, allowing a little bit of chaos into our otherwise orderly lives can result in more fun and flexibility, as well as a new way to look at our lives. If you spend an enormous amount of time organizing your home, your life, or your kids, it might be time to let go of overly organized or scheduled life. Allowing yourself to live with a healthy amount of mess can free you up for more free-spirited endeavors.
- Let your inner artist out. If you have always wanted to start a creative endeavor, but have held back, recognize that creativity is not only for “artists,” but can be a way to relieve stress and experience the beauty that is all around us and which free spirits see every day. Get that canvas out, write a poem, sing a song, or dance the night away and see what creativity can do for your heart, soul, and spirit.
- Be uniquely YOU. March to the beat of your own drum without much care as to what others think or do. Start with finding those who you look to as being free spirits and study them, then find your own path and most of all, enjoy the journey!
The good news is that living as a true free spirit is being more and more embraced in our society, with free spirit societies and gatherings providing a sense of camaraderie and support across the globe. Think of the students taking a gap year to volunteer, or the retiree starting a new career – the time is ripe to foster your free spirit energy so that you can live the best life of your choosing!
About the Author
Lisa Trank began writing after many years as a performing artist – an actress and singer – and is happy to bring those years of crafting characters and storytelling into her writing life. In addition to Gaia, her work has been published in the Saturday Evening Post, University of Denver Journal, Salon, Tablet, Kveller, MindBodyGreen,and in a number of anthologies. Lisa is also an author marketing and platform building consultant. Her clients have been featured in “Fresh Air with Terry Gross,” PBS Newshour, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Colorado Matters,Common Ground, and more.
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Next Article
Being an Empathic Warrior: Self-Care and Protection for Empaths
9 min read
By Paul Wagner |
January 10, 2020 |
- Transformation ,
- Personal Development ,
- Finding Happiness
An Empath is a highly sensitive person, often referred to as HSP, but the HSP label is not entirely correct. HSPs are sensitive to light, sound, experiences, and emotions, while Empaths will embody the emotions, experiences, and relational energy of others. This means that Empaths not only feel what you are feeling, but often have intel on how you can untangle your mess and improve your life. When Empaths heal themselves and get beyond their egos, they can become emotional superheroes.
Many Empaths must learn how to set clear boundaries with family members and friends. They have to adopt practices, habits, and rituals that help them clear the emotional debris they often collect through everyday experiences. Empaths are big-hearted, intuitive sponges. It’s not complicated; if you feel it, they feel it.
Because Empaths tend to live with one foot other realms, they sometimes find it difficult living in the real world. To be grounded and happy, Empaths often need:
- Time to consider, embrace and integrate personal and work relationships
- Healthy food and helpful supplements
- Meditation and prayer
- Leisure activities that don’t involve crowds. For example, most Empaths might avoid shopping at Walmart and wild parties on the 4th of July.
Empaths need space and solitude to allow for careful introspection. Empaths also need to regularly express their emotions, which is most often, sadness. If you’re an Empath, you might be shy, spiritually inclined, a lover of solitude, and clairvoyant. You might also love to write, paint, sculpt or dance more than most artists. The fiercest Empaths will cut a relationship cord in the blink of an eye.
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