What do we mean by (social) freedom?
For everyone, the concept of freedom has a slightly different meaning. In this article, we focus on the above-mentioned aspects of freedom with which you can live a practically freer and more independent life. Social freedom gives the opportunity to make choices that suit your needs and to lead a lifestyle that is in line with your values, wishes and desires. In this way, to be limited as little as possible by external influences that we encounter in our society.
Freedom and independence are much discussed topics
How can you create a more independent and free life in a busy performance society? Freedom is a much discussed topic and it takes some creativity and perseverance to integrate real freedom into your life. As a 'product' of our society, we are assessed from childhood with grades, reports and Cito tests, so that we end up at the 'right level'. There comes a time in your life when you are strong enough to stand up for yourself and you feel that things have to change... a freer and less forced life perhaps? You are not alone!
What we and our community can do for your freedom
Topics that we as an organization deal with on a daily basis within our community and during retreats that we give and facilitate are:
- How do I become less dependent on food?
- How can I be less influenced by food?
- The desire to be more financially free and independent
- How can I ensure a freer existence within society?
- I feel lonely because I think differently from those around me: the desire to connect with like-minded people
- The desire to make life more suited to my needs
- How do I live a less forced life?
- How do I get out of the performance society?
- I don't trust the government anymore.
- The food industry does not treat nature well.
We have combined these topics under the theme (social) freedom and will help you delve deeper into them with this article.
Freedom means living the way you want to, remember your good intentions!
You probably don't think about it every day, but fulfilling your wishes (or good intentions) and living by them is a form of freedom. You probably recognize yourself in the list of good intentions below. Many people no longer make good intentions. They have lost hope or think it is nonsense, probably because only about 8% of people actually succeed in fulfilling these wishes.
What does your wish list or list of resolutions look like regarding freedom?
If you were to make a list of 5 freedom wishes (or good intentions) according to your own interpretation, which 5 would they be? How would this influence your life if those 5 wishes were to come true?
The desire for more freedom regarding nutrition and health
The most common wishes and good intentions are: being healthier, saving money and taking better care of ourselves. Nutrition is an extremely important pillar within the theme of health. Nutrition is also one of the most important themes within our society and economy. In this section we will delve deeper into the theme of food freedom
The 20 most popular good intentions or wishes for freedom are
- Lose weight
- Eat healthier
- Move more
- Quit smoking
- Less stress
- More time for family and friends
- Save money
- Drink less alcohol
- Learning new skills
- Travel more often
- Living more environmentally consciously
- Better time management
- Less screen time
- Doing volunteer work
- Self love and self care
- Stop snoozing
- Sleep better
- Less procrastination
- Think more positively
- Pursuing career goals
What is the status of our food freedom?
We spend a lot of time on food
We are conditioned to eat at least three times a day. We spend part of our budget on it, but don't forget the time we spend on food each day. On average, we spend 2 hours a day on food... and we're not talking about the time you spend on the toilet!
We experience complaints about food
Unfortunately, nutrition also brings many health problems such as illness, allergy, addiction, obesity and chronic diseases. 25% of people experience problems with (certain) types of food, such as allergic reactions, stomach/intestinal problems, skin problems and even behavioral problems such as difficulty concentrating, meal dips, energy fluctuations and brain fog.
We spend a lot of money on food
Food is expensive and especially high quality organic food that should be better for people and the environment is very expensive! Which means that we have less money to spend on other important things. The high cost of groceries gives a large part of our population stress… and stress is… well, something that does more harm than good. How can you become less dependent on food and drink so that you get a freer life? You will read that in a moment.
Food is extremely important in our culture
There are people who “live to eat” instead of “eat to live”. Although we live a busy life in the Netherlands, we often also quickly eat a sandwich while driving to work in our car, or when we are hungry we quickly get a snack at a gas station on the way. Nevertheless, a considerable amount of time, money and energy is spent on food and everything around it every day.
We spend an average of 1,5 hours per day on nutrition-related activities
Dutch people spend an average of 1 to 2 hours per day on eating, preparing and buying food. This can vary per person. Some people take more time than others, depending on their lifestyle, family situation and personal preferences. Eating out is also an important part of our culture. The reason we spend so much time on food is mainly the (learned) emotional value of food.
A party involves (too) much delicious food (and drinks)
Food can also be a source of pleasure and happiness. The importance of food in daily life can vary, but it generally has a significant emotional meaning for many Dutch people. The Friday afternoon drinks, the first, second and third day of Christmas, Easter, birthdays etc. How often have you eaten or drunk too much during these moments? There is a good chance that you enjoyed it too often, too much and just a little too much!
Problem regarding food:
50% of people over 18 are overweight
CBS reported in April 2023: “Half of the Dutch population aged 18 or older is overweight: 35 percent is moderately overweight, 15 percent is seriously overweight. These figures have remained virtually the same in recent years.”
3 Ways to Increase Food Freedom
If you are curious about how you can become less dependent and save time, money and energy with the theme of nutrition, then you are in the right place! We have a number of possibilities for you. In addition to the fact that we guide people with our organization to a (food) freer life and release emotional traumas during our retreats, weekends and events, this can already help you to take the first step towards freedom.
1. Intermittent fasting
A popular part of becoming food independent is intermittent fasting. This eating pattern involves periods of fasting, alternating with periods of eating. The benefits people experience from intermittent fasting include:
- Weight management and fat loss.
- Improved metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
- Increased mental acuity and concentration.
- Promotion of cellular cleansing and repair processes.
- Intermittent fasting can help people become more aware of their food intake and reduce their dependency on food.
- During fasting you train your body to deal with the feeling of hunger – which is not real hunger, but a habit!
- By skipping a meal as standard (every day), your body is given the rest to repair itself on a deeper level instead of constantly being busy processing food.
2. Get started yourself to create more freedom regarding food
- Self-awareness: Start developing self-awareness about your eating habits, emotions, and triggers that affect your relationship with food. Keep a journal where you track your eating patterns and feelings. This will help you understand why you make certain choices.
- Listen to your body: Learn to listen to your body's signals, such as hunger and satiety. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. Avoid eating out of boredom, stress or other emotional reasons.
- Remove limiting beliefs: Try to work on limiting beliefs about food, body image and weight. These beliefs can limit you and affect your relationship with food.
- Seek professional help: If you are struggling with an eating disorder, severe food fears, or other emotional issues surrounding food, don't hesitate to seek professional help from a therapist, dietitian, or nutritionist.
- Learn from others: Talk to like-minded people and people who are already food free as within our community. Here you can talk freely about your ideas and wishes regarding freedom. You can learn a lot from others and get support during your journey to more freedom around food.
3. Follow one of our retreats to change your lifestyle
We help people weekly to a more independent and freer life in the area of nutrition. In our retreats and meetings we help people with all the above mentioned themes. The biggest change we bring about regarding freedom is adding prana to the lifestyle of people who come to us. Prana is a term that refers to the life energy and vital force that is present in everything.
Integrating prana into your life has many benefits. Here are a few:
- Improved vitality and zest for life.
- Promoting emotional well-being and inner peace.
- Heightened awareness and connection with the universe.
- Improved resilience in dealing with life challenges.
- Less (food) addiction.
- Food is no longer necessary to feel good or happy.
- No more need for alcohol to relax.
- You experience much more gratitude and happiness.
- Prana gives freedom in your thoughts, wishes and needs.
