What is Independence?

                                

Independence is letting your kids chose their career path. Independence is letting your daughter chose her better half. Independence is letting your wife make as many friends she wants. Independence is letting your spouse work on any project or career he/she wants. Independence is not pressurizing your spouse for having a baby. Independence is not interfering in your family member’s life. Independence is letting your kids live a life they want. 

Every Indian is enjoying this day as we got freedom from the Britishers in 1947 on this very day. I am always excited on this day every year as my life is seriously connected with the word, independence.

I have lived my life on my terms and had the ultimate freedom in making study and career choices. In choosing my better half and in choosing the way I want to live. My father is religious, but I am not. My mother is graduate from a top university, but I am college drop out. I have been lucky in my life as my parents never imposed their decisions on me. I had the independence in making every decision that could have positive or negative effect on my life.

Me and my siblings had the ultimate freedom in choosing our career paths. There was no interference whatsoever from our family members. They were really supportive of us and always respected our decisions. Giving freedom to your kids, partner and your close acquaintances is really important.

Freedom takes out the best in a person. A person can be more successful in an independent environment. There are some questions that everyone must ask themselves. Am I independent? Do I have freedom of choosing my career or study? Am I allowed to choose my partner? Do I have a say regarding my future?

Most people in a country like India are living under the control of their parents or other family members. Majority of people live their life according to the template that has been set by our culture and society. We simply follow that path knowingly or unknowingly. We don’t even dwell on the consequences that this action can have in our lives. We blindly follow the laws of our culture and society.

We have got to understand that we need more freedom in our society. Having more freedom will allow us to move ahead. Tradition will not lead us anywhere. Moreover, we need to understand the current scenario. In this ever-changing era, we need to adjust to the demands of the time.

When we had agrarian society around the world, people were living in joint families. When the world revolutionized into industrial society, people started living in nuclear families. These days, there are many trends that are coming up and we need to upgrade ourselves accordingly. We can’t simply lead our life using a universal template. People simply follow the templates of the society and lead their lives. We must break the shackles and start questioning ourselves.

Living in a society by adjusting yourself according to it will have a negative impact on your life. You need to understand that the society is not designed according to you. It is you who chose the ways of society. Skechers doesn’t manufacture a shoe for Darshan. I choose the number that I want to wear. My shoe size is 10.5 but I have to chose 11 or a bigger size to fit my feet properly. The company will not adjust to my needs. I have to adjust by purchasing a bigger size if I want to wear Skechers. Similarly, we chose the template of a society that we want to live and then we follow it blindly till the end.

It clearly shows that we are not living in freedom. We are slaves of society and other people. We don’t have a say in most of the things. We don’t have the power of choice; we adjust ourselves according to the templates available.

So, ask yourself these questions every day. Are you really free? Do you have the freedom of choosing a life you want? Do ask these questions and you will find beautiful answers from within. If you understood your answers then your perception towards life will definitely change.