Estimated Reading Time 8 Minutes
Hey You! Top o’ the morning to you! Welcome to The Vibrant Life Podcast. I’m your host, Emily Romrell and as luck would have it, it’s St. Patrick’s Day this week! So, throw on your favorite green shirt and join me on the journey as we delve into the dance between “Freedom and Constraint.” Life is a rollercoaster, full of twists, turns, and exhilarating moments. Picture yourself on that rollercoaster, wind in your hair, adrenaline pumping, and a pot of gold at the end of the ride. It’s thrilling, right? Now, imagine stripping away what makes the coaster work—the tracks. Pretty scary, huh? Without those precisely laid tracks, chaos ensues. Life, much like this rollercoaster, demands a delicate balance of freedom and structure. To truly savor the highs and navigate the lows, we need order to provide direction and purpose. Today, let’s explore how embracing this balance empowers us to live a vibrant life.
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Finally, let’s get into today’s topic. How do you personally strike the balance between freedom and structure in your life? Are there specific routines or practices you find helpful, or do you prefer to go with the flow and embrace spontaneity? Your insights and experiences could inspire others, so don’t hesitate to share in the comments. I want to hear from you!
Ok, onward and upward to an intriguing analogy I recently stumbled upon. Picture freedom as playing the guitar. As a fellow music lover and guitar player, this analogy resonates with me. Without some structure or constraint, playing the instrument results in chaos. But chaos transforms into beautiful, harmonious music once you learn chords and finger placements. It’s the order within the instrument that brings out its true melody. Armed with these chords and notes, you can rearrange them endlessly, creating your own original tunes. Now you have freedom, the ability to play with abandon and create something uniquely yours.
This experience isn’t limited to music; it’s found in every discipline—whether playing a musical instrument, honing a craft or mastering a skill. “Discipline” is key here, emphasizing the crucial role of constraint and structure in the pursuit of excellence. Just as playing the guitar requires mastering chords for beautiful music, any art or craft demands discipline and constraint for true mastery. As Pablo Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” It’s not about stifling creativity but understanding foundational principles that pave the way for true creative freedom.
As a student of personal development and a fellow human on this planet, I’ve witnessed how this principle extends into everyday life. Without some order and constraint, life descends into anarchy. Consider the simple act of maintaining your home. Lack of discipline sacrifices the freedom and peace of mind that come with a clean home. Similarly, without a daily routine, you’ll find yourself drifting aimlessly, struggling to be productive. Embracing structure and discipline liberates you to intentionally choose how to spend your time, making each day meaningful. It’s about finding the balance between freedom and constraint that allows you to thrive in all aspects of life.
Let’s talk about entropy, often considered the highest law of life. Entropy represents the irreversible tendency of systems to devolve into greater disorder over time. As Arthur Schopenhauer eloquently stated, “Entropy is time’s arrow, and as the arrow flies, the universe evolves into disorder.” Imagine dropping a bag of marbles—they scatter randomly, and regaining order demands effort. Entropy influences freedom and constraint in our lives. Without structure, our lives deteriorate into confusion. However, with the right mix of freedom and constraint, we act as architects, designing our lives to offset the natural tendency toward disorder. It’s a dance ensuring that our endeavors are purposeful, and our environments remain conducive to growth and success. Understanding entropy gives us the freedom to explore new possibilities and the constraint that gives our lives coherence and meaning.
Let’s go back to ancient Greece and the tale of Icarus. Daedalus, a genius inventor, and his son Icarus were trapped on the island of Crete. Determined to escape, Daedalus crafted wings for both of them using feathers and wax. As they prepared for their flight to freedom, Daedalus warned Icarus: “Fly too close to the sun, and the wax will melt.” But the thrill of flight and the promise of freedom proved too tempting for Icarus. With a jubilant whoop, he took off, soaring higher and higher, reveling in the exhilaration. However, as he flew closer to the sun, the wax melted, and poor Icarus plummeted into the sea below. Despite the unfortunate outcome, this myth reminds us of the importance of finding the balance between freedom and constraint in our own lives. Even the most daring adventures require a dash of caution and a sprinkle of wisdom to truly soar to new heights!
In the world of architecture, we have Frank Lloyd Wright’s renowned masterwork, Fallingwater. Consider Wright, the brilliant architect, confronting the problem of integrating a home smoothly with the natural beauty of a cascading waterfall. Embracing innovation, Wright’s imagination soars as he imagines a house perched on the waterfall’s edge, defying gravity with easy elegance. However, Wright also adhered to the constraints of physics and the surrounding world. Fallingwater was created through careful calculations and collaboration with engineers serving as a delightful reminder that striking the right balance between freedom and constraint yields breathtaking outcomes.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a profound analogy while listening to an old conference talk titled “Peace, Hope, and Direction” by Patricia P. Pinegar. She likened the gospel to flying a kite. It’s a simple yet powerful metaphor that resonates deeply with me. She shared the story of a little boy who went to the park with his father to fly a kite for the first time. As they marveled at the soaring kite, the boy’s excitement grew, and he expressed a desire to see it fly even higher by cutting the string. Despite his father’s warning that cutting the string would cause the kite to plummet, the boy insisted. In seconds, the kite lost control and crashed to the ground. This story illustrates the importance of obedience to God’s commandments. I can’t say it any better than Sister Pinegar. She said, “The commandments and laws of God are like the kite string. They lead us and guide us upward. Obedience to these laws gives us peace, hope, and direction.”
In the New Testament, we encounter the parable of the prodigal son. This tale revolves around a young man who, feeling confined by his life at home, requests his inheritance prematurely to venture into the world.
The son experiences a life of freedom and indulgence, uninhibited by the constraints of his family and upbringing. However, the initial sense of liberation gradually transforms into a harsh reality as he squanders his wealth and finds himself in dire circumstances. Faced with the consequences of his choices, the prodigal son yearns to return home.
The parable beautifully displays the concept of freedom and constraint. The son’s pursuit of unrestricted freedom led to spiritual and physical destitution. But the miracle lies in the fact that, even when we get off track and lose ourselves in the chaos of the world, we can always repent and come home to a loving Heavenly Father. This transformative journey or conversion back into the fold is made possible through the love and the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.
This story is a reminder that true freedom comes through finding the balance between personal agency and adherence to eternal principles. It teaches us that constraints can become catalysts for personal growth, renewal, and a deeper, more meaningful freedom. And the glorious truth is that we can always come home when we make mistakes. What a relief. What a blessing.
Now, let me share a few tips to create a framework that paradoxically amplifies your freedom. These practices have helped me balance freedom and constraint, allowing me to embrace life’s opportunities with intention and purpose.
Morning Book of Mormon Reading: Implement a habit of reading the Book of Mormon. Ideally, first thing in the morning. This daily commitment establishes spiritual order and grants the freedom to receive ongoing revelation and personal insights.
Meal Planning: Organize a weekly meal plan to streamline grocery shopping and preparation. This practical habit adds culinary order to life, offering the freedom to enjoy nutritious and stress-free meals.
Decluttering Routine: Implement a regular decluttering routine to maintain a tidy living space. Clearing physical clutter fosters mental clarity and offers the freedom to focus on what truly matters.
Creative Constraints: Embrace creative constraints in your artistic pursuits or hobbies to spark innovation. Whether limiting a painting’s color palette or adhering to a theme in photography, these boundaries fuel inventive exploration within a structured framework. Even in writing, constraints like word count or style can stimulate inventive storytelling, providing a structured pathway for fresh ideas and the freedom to express your vision intentionally. Many times the form or structure we use in our creative works is what makes the magic happen.
Personal Mission Statement: Craft a personal mission statement outlining your values and aspirations. This guiding document enhances decision-making and offers the freedom to align your actions with your core beliefs.
Financial Freedom Goals: Establish clear financial goals and a budget. This disciplined approach provides financial order, allowing the freedom to make informed choices and achieve greater stability.
Daily Reflection Journal: Carve out a few moments every evening to reflect and document my thoughts, accomplishments, and aspirations. This simple practice brings order to my mind and offers the freedom to continually reflect and grow.
Incorporating constraints and intentional practices into our lives offers greater freedom. We gain clarity and purpose by establishing routines and boundaries and embracing creative constraints in our pursuits. These intentional choices reduce decision fatigue and guide us toward our goals, empowering us to lead fulfilling lives with precision and purpose. Constraints become the scaffolding that supports our endeavors, allowing us to navigate life’s complexities with confidence and freedom.
As we conclude our exploration of the relationship between freedom and constraint, I invite you to reflect on the insights we’ve gained. We can improve our lives by being more intentional, by accepting creative limits and setting routines and rules. We can live life with clarity and purpose. To truly be free, it’s essential to confront constraints rather than avoid them. As you continue on your path, may you find the point at which boundaries become useful tools, moving you toward a life of fulfillment, intentionality, and true freedom. Until next time, embrace the limitless opportunities ahead and live the vibrant life.
