What Does Freedom Mean Today?

Posted byVanya Wryter ConsultingPosted inEducation, LifestyleTags:, , , ,

Freedom to me is, firstly, knocking down a couple of silly myths off their feet. So many TV shows depict happiness when a young person marries a poor person instead of a rich person. Another scenario is the person marching to the beat of their own drum and by the end of the story, everyone accepts and respects the person’s odd behaviour.

Freedom isn’t really either of those stories.

We’re told that happiness is about love or passion. “Marry for love, not money,” they say. Yes, love matters. But in today’s economy, with the rising cost of housing, food, and basic necessities while salaries are stagnant? Choosing to marry someone without considering financial stability can quickly lead to stress that eats away at even the strongest relationships. Is that still happiness or a fairytale?

Freedom is being able to plan a life that’s sustainable, where you’re not panicking every time a medical bill appears or your car breaks down. It’s not about overspending or needing luxury, but simply having enough breathing room. Enough to replace your broken couch without sacrificing a few dinners at a restaurant. Enough to take a vacation without checking every dollar of your expenses.

True freedom is also emotional. It’s the ability to show up at work and do your job without being dragged down by toxic coworkers or bosses. To know you can walk away from people who demean you—whether at work or within your own family. It’s being able to say, “I don’t want this,” and not be punished for it by getting fired or being excluded from family events.

Freedom is telling your parents that the career they picked for you isn’t your dream, and not feeling like a failure because you made a different choice. It’s also expressing an unpopular opinion to friends without fear that you’ll be shut out in the future. It’s being able to say, “This is my religion,” or “This is how I like to dress,” and not having to explain yourself to anyone. Not everyone is going to accept you, but you shouldn’t fear being harassed either.

We don’t often talk about the cost of constantly managing other people’s expectations, of making decisions out of fear. But freedom? It’s the opposite. It’s the peace that comes when you’re not living your life trying to survive—financially, emotionally, or socially.

And that kind of freedom is worth everything.

What does freedom look like in your life right now?

16 thoughts on “What Does Freedom Mean Today?”

  3. This is such a grounded, sobering take on freedom — stripping it of the fairytale gloss and rooting it in real-world dignity. You name what so many hesitate to say: that love without stability can strain the very connection it’s meant to nourish, and that emotional safety is just as essential as financial breathing room. Your words remind us that freedom isn’t flashy — it’s the quiet peace of being able to live without fear, without apology, and without always needing to justify your choices. Thank you for voicing what freedom really feels like for so many.

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  7. What a great post and mostly true. You can be happy by choosing to miss a couple of restaurant dinners to but a new couch, invite some friends to dinner at your place to enjoy your new furniture with you! Being able to walk away from a toxic workplace or relationship however really is freedom. It comes down to spending though. People don’t need the latest anything. A well maintained, paid off, reliable, 10- year old car is freedom. Having stable housing creates freedom. A vacation that doesn’t sink you in debt for rest of the year is freedom.

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