Freedom of Being

by Randi B. Noyes


Victor E. Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning, made a great impression
upon me. In it, the Jewish psychologist recounts his experiences in a
concentration camp during World War II. The most fascinating aspect of his
account is his explanation of how he survived the most horrific
circumstances by understanding that no one could take away his freedom of
thought. Frankl maintained that the prison guards could have done whatever
they wanted, and though he remained a prisoner, his inner self would always
be free. He always had the freedom to think whatever he wanted to think; a
freedom no one could take from him. I recommend this book highly to those of
you who are seeking greater freedom of thought, especially those who find
themselves in difficult or painful situations.


Frankl also writes about the importance of having a goal, something to look
forward to, a reason to survive in the camp. For some it was reunion with
relatives after the war, or revenge on the prison guards. Goals that are
important to us give us power to live.


I reached a new level of understanding of the importance of goals and
thoughts during the first "Ski for Light" competition in the United States.
I was to escort Jean Emere. Thirty-two years old, he had previously been on
France's downhill ski team with the Olympic gold medallist, Jean-Claude
Killy, but Jean Emere was now blind. We were to train together for the
competition set to take place one week later, in which seventy-two blind
cross-country skiers would participate.


My job was to ski the track next to Jean and to tell him the length of the
downward slopes and whether the track veered left or right. On the first day
of training, after skiing a couple of miles, I heard a terrible sound from
Jean's lungs, as if he couldn't breathe. Stopping him, I said, "You can't go
on in this condition. I'm so worried hearing you breathe like that."


"You don't understand what this is about," he responded. "I'm a diabetic,
and I haven't much time to live. I'm determined to win next week!" There was
no misunderstanding the man; he knew what he wanted. My only question then
was whether his shortness of breath was connected with his diabetes. "No,"
he replied. "It came from too much smoking and drinking."


We agreed that if he would stop smoking and drinking until after the
competition, I would get up at dawn every morning and train with him so that
he could have the best chance of winning. What an exhausting job! We hardly
rested. Jean's eyes and nose were running all the time; once, he even lost
his false teeth in the snow. One afternoon he asked me to describe the sun
on the mountains and the shadows on the snow. He told me about the school he
had started for blind teenage skiers. We huffed and puffed onward, but we
made continual progress.


One day, after intense training, all the blind skiers and their escorts met
at the foot of the slalom slope. Jean was to give us a show. He skied full
speed down the slope and did not one, but two somersaults. That's when I
understood that I was the one who was handicapped, not him. I'd never done
anything daring, choosing instead to live a calm, safe life. At that moment
I wondered if I had ever really lived. As I thought about Jean's goals, I
realized that I didn't even know what I wanted from my life.


As it turned out, Jean placed second in the race. He lived two more years. I
went home to New England and shared this experience with anyone who would
listen. Few did, but I found so much substance in Jean's story that it
didn't matter. He had made me realize that those of us who don't dare to
live are the truly handicapped in this world.


At home, I sat and made a sketch of the life I wanted. Jean had given me the
first tenet: I had to decide exactly what I wanted, so that its validity was
absolutely unquestionable. I knew I wanted to do something that would
enlighten others and myself. I understood also that I could give more to
other people by first developing myself. I wanted to fulfill my potential
and be honest with myself, because I knew that I could give my best and
attract the best only with total honesty and commitment.


I realized too that I had to take some risks and dare to do what scared me.
I wanted to exceed my own limits and experience genuine freedom before I
died. Death became an inspiration! If anything was completely certain, it
was that I was going to die one day, so my challenge became living and
giving something of value along the way. It was important to me to view
myself as a creative individual. l wanted to fill my life with love, which I
believed could best be achieved by accepting myself and accepting others
just as we are.


It became clear that I wanted to help people find their own way in life, and
help them attain the goals they set for themselves. Since then, it has given
me great pleasure to watch people succeed at reaching their goals, and to
celebrate triumph after triumph with my clients. Like them, I've faced the
things I'm afraid of, continuing despite fearful feelings, which eventually
relaxed their hold.


Jean taught me that life is very short, and we mustn't wait too long before
mapping out our way. So, what do you want to give to yourself and others in
the course of this very short time? What are you waiting for?


DARE TO BE TRUE TO YOURSELF


"This above all, to thine own self be true; And it must follow as the night
the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."
--William Shakespeare (Hamlet)


If you're true to yourself, you'll be true to others; if you're not true to
yourself, your relationships won't be true either. Outer life happens in
parallel with your inner life. If you want to be honest with others, you've
got to be honest with yourself first. Do you want the people in your life to
be honest? Do you want to be honest and speak the truth from your heart? In
the New Testament it is written, "And you shall know the truth and the truth
shall set you free." (John 8:32) Truth emerges from our hearts when we're
calm, only then do we really know it. Our feelings are intelligent, and they
give us the information we need to find that place of calm, of knowing
what's right for us. That's living from the inside out.


We learn much that isn't true, and we're taught to ask the world what's
right for us. We're encouraged to live from the outside in, a life dictated
by the outer world. Not until we look to our hearts to provide us the truth
can we know real honesty and become the active leaders of our own lives.


Tapping your emotional intelligence helps you to live authentically by
listening to your heart and your head and combining the two. Your truth
creates trusting connections with other people, and connects you to your own
destiny and to what's meaningful to you.


We are all individuals, and each of us has different goals. What feels right
in your heart is what's right for you. You're not being self-centered when
you ponder the issue of what you want and don't want; it's a simple question
of honesty. Being honest with yourself and others is the best foundation for
being generous with the world. Allow yourself to think and dream. Most
importantly, be honest about what's important to you! And then give life to
your dreams!


Some of my most gratifying moments occur when people I'm coaching discover
deep in their hearts what's most important to them, what they want to be
doing for the rest of their lives. This is why I urge you to write your
thoughts on paper. Almost magically, strength and clarity come from
articulating your goals, like lifting a veil from your soul and giving it
clear directions about where to go.


LEADING YOUR OWN LIFE


Your subconscious can't receive clear instructions if you only "sort of"
know what you want. The automatic pilot within you can't guide you forward
before you've clearly articulated your goals. Too many people refuse to
invest the time necessary to discover what's important to them. If you don't
lead yourself, there are plenty of people around who'll try to do the job
for you. They'll tell you what you "ought to" and "ought not to" do,
according to what they consider important, but no one can take over that
position unless you give them the opportunity.


AIM AND MAGIC


In 1953, a new group of students entered Yale University. Three percent of
them had clearly defined and expressed goals. Twenty years later, these 3
percent had achieved more of their goals than the 97 percent who hadn't been
clear about their objectives. Again, there's a kind of magic in writing down
your goals; they take on a more powerful life when they're put on paper,
somehow making your dreams more real. Inexplicably, doors begin to open: you
connect with just the right person; ideas about how to achieve your goals
emerge from unexpected sources. Life takes on new meaning when you can "see"
with your inner eye that you're moving closer to your goal. This awareness
points you in new directions, opening you to new ways of achieving your
aims. A special harmony arises between your inner voice and the world around
you.


While you might not always be sure of your direction, you can trust your
inner voice to lead you to your destination. Visualizing it clearly means
you're on the right path toward your goal, and your goal is on its path
toward you. In contrast, losing sight of your goals is like losing the force
that moves you forward in life.


I can't emphasize enough that no matter how you define success, it's a
fundamental requirement that your goals come from your heart. Your goal,
however, mustn't become an obsession. There's a fine line between being true
to your goals and letting them consume you. Often, we do the latter at the
expense of success. After you can visualize, articulate, and plan
reasonably, you need to learn to relax and let things develop naturally.
Finding the passion and the faith with which to nourish your dreams assures
you a better future.


THE JOURNEY IS THE REWARD


"Of course we have our goals in life,
but it's the journey itself that's worth the strife."
-- Karin Boye, Swedish poet


When an old friend asked me how I was doing, I told him I was thoroughly
enjoying the journey. "So," he replied, "you've discovered that the journey,
not just reaching your goals, holds the true meaning in life?" "Yes," I
said, "but the journey wouldn't have been as meaningful if I hadn't had
clear goals to guide me."


Learn to enjoy your journey, while remembering that everyday life takes on
more meaning when you have goals to lead you. Goals give your journey
direction, hope, faith, and a sense of purpose that might otherwise be
missing from your life. It's important to remember that you're not simply a
product of the goals you achieve. It's the process and the journey you
follow in pursuit of your goals-regardless of whether you reach them-that
truly defines you.


THE GOAL DEEP IN YOUR HEART


I encounter many people who lack energy and seem to have lost the ability to
enjoy life. Usually, they're in their forties and fifties, though other age
groups are certainly not immune. They begin to get tired and lose interest
in their endeavors. If this resonates with you, perhaps it's time to
reexamine your life.


It's not enough to have goals from long ago that have stayed with you but
have lost their attraction, intensity and power to inspire you. Ask yourself
what excites you today, at this very moment. What makes you happy? What do
you hold most dear? What part of your work do you most enjoy? By answering
these questions you challenge yourself to plan a life that nurtures the
growth of what's most important to you. In order to be successful, you have
to engage in activities that resonate with your soul, shedding the "I
should's" and embracing the "I want to's."


It's crucial that you uncover goals buried within your inmost self, your
heart and soul. When you do, a new energy will emerge, giving you the desire
and the strength to create a life full of self-expression. No matter your
age, giving life to your core goals will add to your everyday life a
richness that's not possible unless you're pursuing what's truly important
to you.


Heed the call and dare to live.


This article was excerpted from the book "The Art of Leading Yourself", by
Randi B. Noyes. ©2001. Reprinted with permission. Published by Cypress
House, www.cypresshouse.com


About The Author
Randi B. Noyes is a pioneer in the practical application of emotional
intelligence and president of Leadership International, Inc., a leadership
consulting firm. For over twenty years, Randi has provided leadership
coaching to hundreds of top executives and corporate clients in all
industries. Based in Boston, Massachusetts and Oslo, Norway, she can be
reached at: www.leadership-international.com
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Jude "White-Bear" Correll
Animal Psychic Team
Spirit Foundation Int'l
www.AnimalPsychicTeam.com
spirit@...
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Let everything you do be your expression of Spirit,
And everything you say be your Prayer ~Anon
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ICQ #15597888
MSN Msgr "whitebear"/AOL IM: "akwhitebear"
~~~~~
Nice article on the Power of Intention and Animal Healing
http://www.sidereus.org/a/jwb_intention.htm
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