It seems that I can find inspiration anywhere these days, and lately, I've turned to the music of Queen. I'm convinced that many of their songs have deeper meanings than what most of us would expect. For me, the current Queen anthem that seem to replay in my mind the most is I Want To Break Free. It is the mindset I am focusing on as I move forward, considering the past year. Quarantine alone stirred up feelings of wanting to eventually break free, am I right?
We are still living in unusual times, but a positive aspect that did come out of this past year was that it got many of us to dig deep about our own life purpose, all the possibilities of what we could be doing, and the ways we want to break free.
I want to break free I want to break free I want to break free from your lies You're so self satisfied, I don't need you I've got to break free God knows, God knows I want to break free
-Lyrics from I Want to Break Free, performed by Queen, written by band member and bass guitarist, John Deacon, 1984
This song is known to have many interpretations, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. Released in 1984, the year of my birth (happy coincidence!), and also during a time when the women's liberation movement was starting to really take off, this song supposedly is addressing that movement specifically. Another interpretation that resonates with me is that it represents the concept to a much broader audience that you can be whoever you want to be and you're not confined to the "shackles of societal norms and constrictions." So, the song stands for freedom and it is against societal oppression.
The way I interpret the song and take it one step deeper is it's a reminder to keep breaking free from the limitations I place on myself. My focus instead should be on the desire for a greater purpose in life without allowing my own limiting beliefs to stand in the way. Beliefs such as, "I'm not talented enough to achieve the success I want," or "What if I fail trying to do something that I love?" are the lies I need to break free of and "walk out that door" from.
What are some limiting beliefs that have been holding you back? And do you have some strategies that help you deal with those? To learn more about how to squash limiting beliefs, I discovered a recent blog post from April by Marvae Eikanas where she actually starts with a story about how certain beliefs even limit elephants. An interesting read I highly recommend!
She also shares some gems when it comes to the steps we can take to break free from the beliefs that limit us. The first step is an easy one, and it involves simply recognizing and writing down all those beliefs. Then, the next step requires us to find ways to challenge those beliefs or prove them all wrong. This process helps us realize the lies that we have been telling ourselves. The reality is, we are so much more amazing than the limits we have accepted about ourselves. We get to recognize our awesomeness, just like I discuss in my post, Be weird, be you!
It's scary when we start traveling down a road that's new and that breaks the cycle of our limiting beliefs. We are basically retraining our minds, but wow, does it feel incredible to break free and drive towards a limitless life! It's an open road, and one filled with endless opportunities.
Don't forget to be kind to yourself as you travel down this road. Shine on, my friends!
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