What I really got from camp this year, both from my own experiences and witnessing each of the campers there, was that there are really three things we all need to live epic lives and be true to ourselves- in essence, to have total freedom and sovereignty in our lives.

The best part? You don’t have to go looking for these things. They aren’t something you have to “figure out” or wait for. They are already within you.

The 3 Things You Need To Be Free

1. DESIRE:

First and foremost, you have to want it. You have to desire becoming who you are more than you fear what it will take.

Desire can feel uncomfortable. It can feel a little unsafe. To desire something is to acknowledge that you don’t currently have it, or you are seeking it. Declaring a desire is saying you know what you want and it matters to you. You have to let it matter.

This can feel a little edgy. This is also a place that a lot of people stay. Desiring something, wanting it, yearning for it, but not doing anything about it. That’s why desire is only the first step. It’s needed because without desire, we wouldn’t feel the drive to make changes.

Ask yourself: What do you desire? What do you long for? What is your secret wish for your life and yourself?

2. WILLINGNESS:

Secondly, you have to be willing to choose differently than you have in the past.

You have to be willing to face whatever is standing in the way of being all of you and loving yourself. The stories, memories, patterns, emotions, physical and mental barriers.. all of it.

You have to choose to be in it, to face it, to question it, to FEEL it- even if you have no idea what’s going to happen next.

You have to be willing to not know, and choose it anyway.

Because when we decide step into freedom, into alignment, into authenticity, into the truth of who we are- it means that everything in our life that is not congruent and in integrity with that truth is going to become very clear. Patterns, relationships, habits, environments, thoughts- anything that is out of line with your essence and soul is going to be ready for an upheaval.

It can feel intense sometimes. It is certainly to always gentle. To be willing requires a fierce surrender into the unknown.

Ask yourself: What have I been avoiding in my life? Where have I become complacent about something I don’t enjoy? What am I willing to face right now? What does it feel like to choose ME?

3. COURAGE:

Finally, you have to choose courage.

Courage comes from the Latin ‘cor’ which means ‘heart’.

Courage literally means to live from your heart. It means choosing what’s inside you and written in your soul, even if that goes against everything you’ve been taught to keep you safe.

When you choose this path, again, even if you don’t know what it’s going to look like, even if there is no roadmap, that choice, day in and day out, that courageous decision to be you, no apologies, to face whatever you need to face- from there, everything is possible.

And you have to practice it, day in and day out. Courage (and desire, and willingness) is a living, breathing thing. It lives within you, and like anything else, needs to be tended, cared for, and nurtured. When you practice courage, both big and small, ordinary and extraordinary, you open up space for your dreams to come true.

Ask yourself: What action could I take today that is edgy for me? What does my heart say about where to go next? If I didn’t fear judgement or rejection, what choice would I make right now?

Every single human is filled with these three things. Sometimes they end up living under a layer or two (or five) of fear, self-doubt, social anxiety, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t inside of you.

Everyone, including you (especially you if you’re reading this), has the capacity to stand for their desires, to be willing to face what’s not working, and to have the courage to choose truth and love.

This is the magic you guys. It isn’t finally losing a certain amount of weight or checking boxes off a list. It isn’t always eating a certain way or being in control of everything.

The magic is in the choices you make. It is choosing that how you feel is valid simply because you feel it, and whatever it is your heart desires, you are willing to go after it simply because you want to.

You are so darn magical. And every day, every breath, is an opportunity to remember that and make choices that reflect it.

Shine bright and shine on!

Equal parts earth mama, mermaid, and magic glitter, Kate Marolt is an embodiment coach, speaker, yoga teacher, and founder of Unbound Living. Kate is a fierce advocate for women’s empowerment and wisdom, and with over 1000 hours of training in yoga, fitness, energy, philosophy, spiritual practices, and emotional processing tools, she is uniquely placed to guide you back into alignment, integration, and wholeness. Kate is dedicated to helping you understand your body’s messages and inner wisdom so you can feel ALIVE, joyful, and free to be exactly who you are, inside and out.