Feeling nourished, focused, and free

 I know that no man, or woman is an island, but sometimes when we feel too attached, or dependent on receiving approval from others, we need to retreat inward, and wrap ourselves in the warmth and love of our own little cocoons, and ask ourselves why we are searching, and anxiously grasping for approval and self-worth outside of ourselves. Why do we need permission from anyone to be ourselves, think our own thoughts, feel our own feelings, and follow our own light? What drives and motivates us to do what we do, and be what we be? If I am driven solely by the praise and approval I receive from others, then when I don't get those strokes, I will feel frustrated, needy, less than, and disconnected from myself. If I am driven by the fear of not doing the “right” thing, then I am not open to the possibility of inspired ideas and creativity. It's about accepting ourselves, taking value in who we are, and what we want, and who we are naturally. If we are acting, and moving from a place that is natural for us, we stop struggling against ourselves, and we are free to feel the joy that accompanies living a truthful existence. We must live out our own potential, because when we start or continue to acquiesce to the expectations that others may or may not have of us, then a part of us goes silent, a part of us becomes disconnected to the whole, to the beauty that is uniquely us. It takes a risk to fully be ourselves, and let it all hang out, especially when we have been conditioned to be what everyone around us wants us to be. Being ourselves comes with a certain sense of vulnerability, but there is also a freedom that comes from embracing who we are that is priceless, and very much worth all of the energy, pain, and effort that may be expended in the process. If we are not aligned with our purpose, how then can we go about exploring and embracing that which is uniquely us? For me, writing is one of the ways in which I stay connected to myself, my purpose, and my voice, and it helps keep me nourished, focused, and free. What helps you feel nourished, focused, and free? Meditation, yoga, running, dancing, singing, sewing, crafting, writing....?