What it takes to be Free

By Darius Foroux

Darius Foroux is a writer I stumbled upon by accident as I came across his book “What It Takes to Be Free.”I read this book in a few days as it was very captivating and full of amazing quotes. Book question: Why do we keep things in our life that make us miserable, and why don’t we work to change them?

The author argues that anything can be eliminated from life that makes us miserable, as long as it is done with some thought and consideration. Everyone has challenges, and not all challenges are erasable. At one point he says, “If we have a life that makes us unhappy, we are responsible for it. It is because we made certain decisions.”

The book reminds us to be comfortable with uncertainty, as certain things have to be done in our life that most people don’t do. If we are not financially getting stronger, we have to stop spending money until something works out. If our health is declining, then we can’t be eating junk food. We can only be free when we stop complaining and start doing something about situations. And by being less angry about things that are beyond our control.

The book also reminds us not to fear the future or the thoughts of other people. Rather it advises that you work on yourself, your own goals, cleaning up your own act, and doing something to improve your existence. He brings up Aristotle’s quote, “Through discipline comes freedom.”

And so ultimately, the book is about freedom and how we can be free from our spending habits, our choices of bad relationships, and our choices of food and consumerism. People will always convince you that their beliefs and actions are the best, but never give in, and as he says, “Don’t become attached to ideas.”He reminds us, “True freedom means you are not concerned with other people’s opinions, views, and actions. You also don’t have the need to explain why your ideas and actions are the best.”

This book is a must-read. As the author himself acknowledges, most people will not do what it says, but it at least asks the questions as to whether our own decisions are making us sad or grumpy, and whether listening to other people is causing our grief. But if we don’t choose to be free by nurturing our own ideas and our own goals and eliminating people or things or spending or eating then we really are choosing to remain prisoners in cages of our own making.

Freedom comes when we embrace minimalism. When we have nothing or expect nothing and train ourselves to do more with less and be less fearful of uncertainty. By adopting this attitude, we can read more and somehow learn new skills that create a new vision and a new pattern of growth. And as life changes with its uncertainties and hills and valleys, we’ll be more adaptable to overcoming those problems that life brings.

Learn more about Darius at the his website and check out his other books as well.