Why do we fear freedom?

Photo Credit: illustrationvintage Flickr via Compfight cc

Most people never reach the point of doing their own creative work. Instead, they spend their entire lives fulfilling the dreams of other people.

Three years ago, I got tired of working for other people and found the courage to move in my own direction. Since then, I've taken steps to put myself in a position where I'm free to pursue my own dreams and create my own life's work. 

Along the way, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. It's strange, but I think there's a part of me that would actually prefer to be told what to do instead of being free to do what I want. 

Of course, whenever I'm feeling the crunch of other people's expectations, I long for more freedom and self-expression. But when that freedom actually stands within my reach, I balk. 

I bump into this paradox most often on days when I have few obligations and my schedule is wide open for me to choose. Rather than eagerly jumping into my own creative process, I hesitate and have to fight the urge to waste the day on Netflix. 

Why? 

After having worked so hard to free myself from the parameters of someone else's dictum, why would I hesitate to engage in the work my heart most longs to do? Why would I prefer domestication to the freedom of the wild?

I don't have an answer to this question yet. For now, I'm just sitting with it.  

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