Among my readings, I often include books or articles on psychology and philosophy.  They provide me with resources for mentoring and for helping others professionally and personally. There’s a psychiatrist who writes very clearly and always applies his ideas to real-life situations. I’m referring to  Luis Gutiérrez Rojas.  In his lectures,  he approaches life from a positive and motivating perspective . His first book,  “The Beauty of Living,”  was a bestseller. His second book,  ” Living Freer: Choose a Happy Life , “ is on its way to achieving the same level of popularity as the first.

The central theme of his second book is how to achieve freedom  , which is the subject of this article. Today, it’s believed that being free means doing whatever one wants . Being free, loving, and being loved seem to be the keys that will allow us to achieve the much-desired happiness . If we want and yearn to be free, we will eventually achieve it; it’s simply a matter of fighting for it.  Freedom is, without a doubt, the foundation and driving force behind our happiness.

Luis Gutiérrez Rojas  defines freedom as the ability to make decisions without anything or anyone being able to restrict them . That’s why capitalist societies so often link freedom to economic status. If I have money, I can give free rein to my dreams. However, among those who can achieve everything, there are many who are dissatisfied, addicted, unstable, and suicidal.

Free people are masters of their own deeds and responsible for their actions . They don’t experience emotional turmoil or systemic instability. When things are going well, they are able to foresee future challenges and take steps to prepare for any negative events that may arise . They are humble and level-headed when analyzing success.

Exercising freedom doesn’t mean thinking whatever we want. Nor does it mean giving free rein to destructive thoughts or cheap pessimism . Free people don’t sugarcoat the past by thinking that it was always better . They accept reality as it is.  They understand that the world, the circumstances, and the era they live in are the best in history because they are the ones they are meant to shape.

To reach such levels of inner freedom,  it is essential to practice certain mental exercises  to prevent criticism or gossip from taking root within us.  Excusing others’ intentions, forgiving the wrongs we suffer, and putting our own suffering into perspective are key if we truly want to be free.

José Miguel Ponce