This is the Key to Total Freedom
“What is the seal of liberation? No longer being ashamed in front of oneself” — Nietzsche
We’re all handed a script the moment we’re born.
“This is who you’ll be, this is what is expected of you, this is what you’ll believe and the path you’ll follow.”
Whether we realize it or not, the route has been clearly marked, and any deviation will be cause for chastising, or worse — shame.
Some people are able to mold their life to the script. They thrive with the script. Others are left stranded in a sea of constant battles, cutting and disfiguring themselves in order to fit inside the ill-fitting mold.
Every cut, every slice is a reminder of inadequacy, which is a fertile soil for shame.
They look in the mirror and they no longer recognize themselves. Have they ever been themselves? Or have they been so busy trying to fit the mold that their true self has never seen the light of day?
Nietzsche’s Key to Liberation
If you can love the reflection that looks back at you in the mirror, you’ve found your key to total freedom.
“What is the seal of liberation?
No longer being ashamed in front of oneself.”
Think about all the things you’ve done to avoid shame and rejection.
Think about everything you’ve done to keep others happy at the expense of your own well-being.
Think about the parts of yourself you’ve learned to hide because someone else doesn’t like them.
We’re encouraged to NOT think about our sacrifices because that would be selfish, and that’s at the top of the sin list.
We’re encouraged to feel shame and fear in order to stay in line and not disrupt the script.
And among all these to-do’s our soul and freedom gets lost. We forget who we are, we forget what we wanted, we forgot our goals. But we became masters at carrying the shame on our backs.
How to Love the Person in the Mirror
You need to find the person in the mirror first. Look at the script you were given. Analyze your beliefs and the way you see life.
Nietzsche wants us to re-evaluate our most deeply held beliefs. How many of those beliefs were handed down to you? How many did you choose for yourself?
Be honest. Don’t mince words. After all, this is your life, and no one else will live it but you.
Identify the shame you feel. Why are you ashamed? What part of the script would you remove? How would you change the mold?
You cannot change your life unless you change your beliefs. And no one else can do this hard work but you.
You’ve been hiding the key to freedom your entire life. It’s been buried in seas of shame, fear, and lack of self-awareness.
Dig. Keep digging. Dig as deep as you can.
The key is there.
