‘We have a lot of freedom now,’ said one peacefully. ‘But it is all taken away?’ said the other slightly upset. Covid-19 has taken some away various kinds of freedom, but it has given us a real precious one in reward.

As I wrote in my previous blog, Covid-19 has taken away various forms of freedom, yet we were not even aware of having it. Closer to every single one of us, there are two big kinds of freedom that has been reduced drastically, while another one has increased to an extent, we might never even have hoped, of feared for? 

Freedom by Economic Potential

Salaries are cut, businesses are closed down, people got stood-down, many people from business managers and owners until the ones on the work floor are now knocking the door of social security and unemployment fees. Setting aside pride and status, and becoming all economically equal with regards to direct income.

Heaps of people will lose a lot of economic potential they had. Not only in direct salary cuts and unemployment, but as well in the loss of the value of stocks, property and possessions. The stock markets have crashed globally, as the economic crisis of 2008, it seems like our economic system is imploding. [This might sound like the apocalypse, yet, it has one real bright side, on which I’ll write tomorrow]

With the loss of economic potential, you start realising how much freedom came with it. From being able to buy food and choose what you want to eat, until choosing how to spend your free time. Your economic potential limits your choices. As if we are all in a theme park, where you choose a price depending on the rewards you gained.

From experiences to material goods, money makes the world go around.

Now in times of Corona, this kind of freedom is reduced for the majority of us, and for those who were already impoverished it is reduced to a tremendous low level where the only choice to make is about survival.

Corona has a huge impact of the economic situation of all of us. Not only do we lose economic potential, but as well the freedom that came with it.

You only value it when it is gone. The same applies to the loss of this kind of freedom. Therefore, now is the time to be very conscious about the theme park-wise economic construction we live at; to feel compassionate for the impoverished people, and feel grateful for every bit of freedom we had before, and we still have now.

Freedom to Move

One kind of freedom caused by economic potential – even more than by lockdowns – is the freedom to move. The freedom not only to set your destination but as well to reach that destination. The more economic means you can free up, the further you can go, and the more freedom you have to choose the way to get there.

Even low budget trips express a certain freedom, because that still means you can divert your budget towards movement, as well as you have the freedom to choose where you want to spend your economic means to, no matter how small they are.

Yet, as suggested by the other kinds of freedom in this and the previous blog, freedom of movement depends on a lot of factors. One of them turns out to be Corona. And Moreover, of the measures taken by the governments to cope with it. To limit the virus’ movement, our movement has been limited.

Freedom to Live

Yet, this limitation to force people to stay at home and in their direct surroundings, has brought a tremendous level of freedom of another kind. Freedom to determine how your day is going to look like. Sure, you have certain obligations, workwise, family wise, life wise; yet, you have the freedom to plan your day, to organise your own schedule, to run your own race, rather than being stuck in the rat race of many society.

You have the freedom to run your own race, rather than the obliged rat race.

You don’t have to be present from 9 to 5 in the office, even virtually it is different, you don’t have to waste hours of time commuting back and forward. You don’t have to spend your night at the gyms, or at that social obligations. There is no FOMO (fear of missing out), because there is nothing to miss out on.

Rather, you have the freedom now to live your day at your pace and spend your time as you want to.

For those who were living at a high tempo, almost running past their selves, there is the freedom to slow down. For those who were married with their job instead of their family, there is the freedom now to re-ignite those familial relationships. For those who were constantly feeling lived by their job or activities they felt obliged to, they have now the freedom to live up to their own standards and live their own life.

You wake up when you choose to, you plan your work as you want to, you have the freedom to spend your time as you say so, to givemeaning to your day and life as you determine. You have more freedom now to be the kind of partner, friend, mother, son, colleague that you want to be, just because there is no time pressure, no set limitations, and just so much less that you ‘have to’ do.

You have the freedom now to reduce your ‘have to do’ list and convert it into a ‘to do’ list.

Structure in the Freedom

Obviously, some people will be better than others to deal with the increased amount of freedom, while others will need more structure. Some are more goal driven, others more time driven. Yet, in both cases, you have the freedom to set your goals, and to dedicate your time.

Create meaning if you feel the world around you became meaningless, and realise you have the freedom to create that meaning.

No boat will set sail in the infinity of the ocean without navigation systems and a destination. We are all boats now in the infinity of time. Choose your navigation system to structure the freedom, your purpose and goal to set a destination.

Set Sail

While many people might feel like a prisoner at home, limited in their movements; we obtained a very valuable kind of freedom as well. Corona has taken away and reduced a lot of freedom, but it has made us aware of other kinds of freedom which we still have; like the one caused by safety (maybe a reduced one), by economic potential (maybe a reduced one), and the freedom of expression (depending on where you are). Moreover, it has given us a very valuable freedom: the one to set sail in the infinity of time.

So, choose your strategy to navigate, structure your time, set your destination, pick your goals and create meaning to your days, and set sail. Let the wind blow the sails, let the sun enlighten your days, thrust in your own potential, look up, set firmly out where you want to go to, and take off.

We are all little boats now, navigating our own seas. It is up to you now: where and how you will go. Set sail and go!

 

This article is part of the series of Hope in Times of Corona. Read on how this times of self-isolation should not mean loneliness, on how you can contribute to this battle, on how gratitude lights up the dark, on how united we will stand strong. and on the most util strategy in awake of a crisis or on how I got blown of my feet as well, but caught by many caring hands, or on how being calm can get us through the storm. And what about Love in Times of Corona? or discovering your own talents? and why we need stories to hold on to;   And especially how you can be creative and innovative. or how to spend your mot valuable assets in times of Corona. and how to listen to the sound of silence. and How breate taking Corona really is. and discover the other freedoms Corona has shown us. Or wait until tomorrow, when I’ll shine another light on yet another positive corner of this dark times.