While it’s often believed freedom is conducive to more life satisfaction and happiness, delayed gratification and healthy restrictions can play a pivotal part in enhancing your appreciation for life and its simple pleasures.
Is freedom the secret to happiness? It’s an assumption that the more freedom you have the happier you will be in life, but is this entirely true? Having the freedom to use your time however you like and the money to buy whatever you want is often regarded as the ultimate lifestyle. Maybe you have limits in your life you would like to be free from. But what if those very restrictions were your pathway to increased happiness and fulfillment?
Until fairly recently, I believed that the fewer restrictions I had on my time, money and ability, the happier and more successful I would be. I didn’t begin to question this assumption until the birth of my son.
When I became a mum, my world both expanded and shrank. My heart expanded with the addition of a little human that I loved unconditionally and who brought me so much joy. My world also shrank as many of the freedoms I had enjoyed and taken for granted disappeared. I lost the freedom to sleep when I needed to, to work as long as I wanted, to go to the gym alone, to enjoy an uninterrupted hot coffee and to go on spontaneous dinner dates with my husband.
At first I struggled to get my head around these changes and how my whole life now revolved around my beautiful little boy. Over time, however, I discovered something very interesting about how these changes were making me feel. I discovered that by losing my unlimited and unrestrained freedom, I had gained a deeper appreciation and joy for life and the simple things.
I assumed that abundance and freedom were what would make me happier. What I found, though, was that it was actually the restraints in my life that provided the “light and shade”, which enhanced my experiences and left me happier and more satisfied with my life. This concept I came to understand as the “paradox of freedom”.
Bu hikaye WellBeing dergisinin Issue 179 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye WellBeing dergisinin Issue 179 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
YOGA FOR IMPERFECTION
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Creating the foundations of ritualist self-care
As a busy mum of a three-year-old and expecting another baby, finding time for self-care often feels like a luxury.
Are you doom spending?
If \"doom spending\" has become your go-to for coping with stress, you could be making withdrawals from not just your bank account, but your health too.
THE POWER OF music
Most of us enjoy music. But science shows music is central to being human and its effect on us is far more astonishing and impactful than we realise. Music is fundamental to life.
SYNTHETIC FOODS
Synthetic, or genetically modified, fake meats and the like attempt to mimic real meat in both looks, taste and texture. But how much do we really know about the production process and how do they affect the environment and our bodies?
Embracing the power of nature
Menopause is more than just a biological change, it represents a significant life stage that can present numerous challenges - from hot flushes and mood swings to fatigue and sleepless nights.
Jan Fran
From a young age, Jan Fran's deep curiosity and keen interest in social issues sparked her journey into the world of journalism. As an accomplished journalist, media commentator and broadcaster, Fran's passion for storytelling has always been driven by a desire to explore, question and shed light on the world around her.
Helping teen girls thrive
Statistics reveal that many more teen girls are struggling with mental health issues. What's going on with them? More importantly, what can we do to help them flourish?
Your ageing eyes
Your eyes work hard for you every waking minute. It is no surprise that how your eyes age will be determined by how you protect them. Eating the right foods can go along way towards ensuring that your eyes stay healthy for a lifetime.
The bottom line
During the Couid pandemic, we were shocked to see people fighting in supermarkets over toilet paper and to see empty shelves that had once held roll after roll. The reasons behind the run for toilet paper during this time reflect the unique place that it holds in our psyche and are deeply rooted in our history.
