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What Freedom Means to Me

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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Essays About Freedom: 5 Helpful Examples and 7 Prompts

Freedom seems simple at first; however, it is quite a nuanced topic at a closer glance. If you are writing essays about freedom, read our guide of essay examples and writing prompts.

In a world where we constantly hear about violence, oppression, and war, few things are more important than freedom. It is the ability to act, speak, or think what we want without being controlled or subjected. It can be considered the gateway to achieving our goals, as we can take the necessary steps.

However, freedom is not always “doing whatever we want.” True freedom means to do what is righteous and reasonable, even if there is the option to do otherwise. Moreover, freedom must come with responsibility; this is why laws are in place to keep society orderly but not too micro-managed, to an extent.

5 Examples of Essays About Freedom

1. essay on “freedom” by pragati ghosh, 2. acceptance is freedom by edmund perry, 3. reflecting on the meaning of freedom by marquita herald.

4. Authentic Freedom by Wilfred Carlson

5. What are freedom and liberty? by Yasmin Youssef

1. what is freedom, 2. freedom in the contemporary world, 3. is freedom “not free”, 4. moral and ethical issues concerning freedom, 5. freedom vs. security, 6. free speech and hate speech, 7. an experience of freedom.

“Freedom is non denial of our basic rights as humans. Some freedom is specific to the age group that we fall into. A child is free to be loved and cared by parents and other members of family and play around. So this nurturing may be the idea of freedom to a child. Living in a crime free society in safe surroundings may mean freedom to a bit grown up child.”

In her essay, Ghosh briefly describes what freedom means to her. It is the ability to live your life doing what you want. However, she writes that we must keep in mind the dignity and freedom of others. One cannot simply kill and steal from people in the name of freedom; it is not absolute. She also notes that different cultures and age groups have different notions of freedom. Freedom is a beautiful thing, but it must be exercised in moderation.

“They demonstrate that true freedom is about being accepted, through the scenarios that Ambrose Flack has written for them to endure. In The Strangers That Came to Town, the Duvitches become truly free at the finale of the story. In our own lives, we must ask: what can we do to help others become truly free?”

Perry’s essay discusses freedom in the context of Ambrose Flack’s short story The Strangers That Came to Town : acceptance is the key to being free. When the immigrant Duvitch family moved into a new town, they were not accepted by the community and were deprived of the freedom to live without shame and ridicule. However, when some townspeople reach out, the Duvitches feel empowered and relieved and are no longer afraid to go out and be themselves.

“Freedom is many things, but those issues that are often in the forefront of conversations these days include the freedom to choose, to be who you truly are, to express yourself and to live your life as you desire so long as you do not hurt or restrict the personal freedom of others. I’ve compiled a collection of powerful quotations on the meaning of freedom to share with you, and if there is a single unifying theme it is that we must remember at all times that, regardless of where you live, freedom is not carved in stone, nor does it come without a price.”

In her short essay, Herald contemplates on freedom and what it truly means. She embraces her freedom and uses it to live her life to the fullest and to teach those around her. She values freedom and closes her essay with a list of quotations on the meaning of freedom, all with something in common: freedom has a price. With our freedom, we must be responsible. You might also be interested in these essays about consumerism .

4. Authentic Freedom by Wilfred Carlson

“Freedom demands of one, or rather obligates one to concern ourselves with the affairs of the world around us. If you look at the world around a human being, countries where freedom is lacking, the overall population is less concerned with their fellow man, then in a freer society. The same can be said of individuals, the more freedom a human being has, and the more responsible one acts to other, on the whole.”

Carlson writes about freedom from a more religious perspective, saying that it is a right given to us by God. However, authentic freedom is doing what is right and what will help others rather than simply doing what one wants. If freedom were exercised with “doing what we want” in mind, the world would be disorderly. True freedom requires us to care for others and work together to better society.

“In my opinion, the concepts of freedom and liberty are what makes us moral human beings. They include individual capacities to think, reason, choose and value different situations. It also means taking individual responsibility for ourselves, our decisions and actions. It includes self-governance and self-determination in combination with critical thinking, respect, transparency and tolerance. We should let no stone unturned in the attempt to reach a state of full freedom and liberty, even if it seems unrealistic and utopic.”

Youssef’s essay describes the concepts of freedom and liberty and how they allow us to do what we want without harming others. She notes that respect for others does not always mean agreeing with them. We can disagree, but we should not use our freedom to infringe on that of the people around us. To her, freedom allows us to choose what is good, think critically, and innovate.

7 Prompts for Essays About Freedom

Freedom is quite a broad topic and can mean different things to different people. For your essay, define freedom and explain what it means to you. For example, freedom could mean having the right to vote, the right to work, or the right to choose your path in life. Then, discuss how you exercise your freedom based on these definitions and views.

The world as we know it is constantly changing, and so is the entire concept of freedom. Research the state of freedom in the world today and center your essay on the topic of modern freedom. For example, discuss freedom while still needing to work to pay bills and ask, “Can we truly be free when we cannot choose with the constraints of social norms?” You may compare your situation to the state of freedom in other countries and in the past if you wish.

A common saying goes like this: “Freedom is not free.” Reflect on this quote and write your essay about what it means to you: how do you understand it? In addition, explain whether you believe it to be true or not, depending on your interpretation.

Many contemporary issues exemplify both the pros and cons of freedom; for example, slavery shows the worst when freedom is taken away, while gun violence exposes the disadvantages of too much freedom. First, discuss one issue regarding freedom and briefly touch on its causes and effects. Then, be sure to explain how it relates to freedom.

Some believe that more laws curtail the right to freedom and liberty. In contrast, others believe that freedom and regulation can coexist, saying that freedom must come with the responsibility to ensure a safe and orderly society. Take a stand on this issue and argue for your position, supporting your response with adequate details and credible sources.

Many people, especially online, have used their freedom of speech to attack others based on race and gender, among other things. Many argue that hate speech is still free and should be protected, while others want it regulated. Is it infringing on freedom? You decide and be sure to support your answer adequately. Include a rebuttal of the opposing viewpoint for a more credible argumentative essay.

For your essay, you can also reflect on a time you felt free. It could be your first time going out alone, moving into a new house, or even going to another country. How did it make you feel? Reflect on your feelings, particularly your sense of freedom, and explain them in detail.

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

what does personal freedom mean to you essay

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What Does Freedom Mean To You Essay

Freedom to me is the ability to do what I want, when I want, without having to answer to anyone. It’s being my own boss and making my own decisions. Freedom also means being able to travel and explore new places without worrying about money or work. To me, freedom is living life on my own terms and doing what makes me happy.

Freedom can have various meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Freedom is sometimes defined as a “political right.” In other situations, it may be defined simply as “the state of being free,” according to Merriam-Webster. Others may think of freedom as a precious gift that must be fought for.

Freedom, to me, is the ability to do what I want, when I want, without having to worry about the consequences. It is the ability to be myself and not have to pretend to be someone else. Freedom is being able to love who I want and not be judged for it. Freedom is also being able to voice my opinion without fear of retribution.

Freedom is important because it allows us to be our true selves. It gives us the ability to express ourselves fully and without restrictions. It also allows us to live our lives the way we want to, without interference from others.

These definitions are all for the same term, although their meaning vary. The word freedom can have various meanings, including as a political right, the quality or state of being free, and a struggle for liberty.

Freedom to some people can mean different things, but in general, it is a power or right that is not given by another person or authority, but one that is self-given. Freedom can also be seen as the ability to act and speak freely without restraint, as well as the absence of oppression. Freedom is a concept that has been around for centuries, and its meaning has changed over time.

Freedom, in my opinion, has the most conflict with the Merriam-Webster definition being “political right.” In order to exercise power, the government must take away liberties. The goal of a government is to establish control, and in order to establish control, it must limit freedoms.

In my opinion, the government’s ultimate goal is to have power over the people, and they use freedom as a tool to manipulate the people into submission. Freedom should be about having the ability to do what you want without interference, but instead it has become a means for furthering agendas.

When I think about what freedom means to me, I think about being able to do what I want without worrying about the government or anyone else interfering. Freedom to me is being able to live my life the way I want to without having to answer to anyone. Unfortunately, in today’s society that is not always possible. We are constantly being told what we can and cannot do, and our freedoms are slowly being taken away from us.

I believe that everyone should have the freedom to live their life the way they want to, as long as they are not harming anyone else in the process. We should all be able to pursue our own happiness without having to worry about the government or anyone else interfering. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Freedom is something that we have to fight for every day, and it is something that we should never take for granted.

This is not something that is wrong in any way since every society requires a structure to keep it together. However, because the state has been established to take away liberties, freedom should not be considered a “political right.” A less complex definition of this may be found in the condition of being free.

The got Freedom House Index. Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint, and the absence of a coercive force. Freedom encompasses both the ability to do things freely and being free from something.

The definition of freedom has changed throughout history, and even today there are different interpretations of what freedom means. For some people, freedom may mean being able to do whatever they want without any restrictions. For others, it may mean being free from oppression or being able to choose their own destiny.

Freedom is a complex concept with many different dimensions that can be explored. However, at its core, freedom is the ability to live your life in a way that you choose – without interference from others.

Freedom is important because it allows us to choose how we live our lives. It gives us the opportunity to make our own choices and to pursue our own goals and dreams. Freedom allows us to be ourselves. It is an essential part of who we are as human beings.

Without freedom, we would not be able to express our unique individualities. We would not be able to develop our talents and abilities. We would not be able to choose our own friends, or have any control over our own lives. Freedom is what makes us human.

This is because freedom is more than simply the “state of being free.” Although this phrase is an appropriate definition of freedom, it isn’t a moral definition. When Newman says that “habit of mind is developed, which endures through life and has the characteristics of freedom, equity, calmness, moderation, and wisdom” (Newman “Knowledge Its Own End”), he’s referring to this kind of freedom. There’s a better way to define freedom than what you’ve read here.

Freedom, according to Aristotle, is the power to act or not to act, and to do this for a specific purpose that you have chosen (Aristotle). Freedom is also different than independence. Freedom is the power to choose, while independence is being free from the influence of others. Freedom, then according to Aristotle’s definition, means “the ability to exercise choice” while independence implies “not being subject to restraint or control by others” (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). So, freedom according to Aristotle is a more moral definition because it speaks of the ability to choose, and this is what we will use as our working definition of freedom.

There are different types of freedom. There is negative freedom which is the freedom from interference or constraints imposed by others. This type of freedom is often thought of as the more “traditional” view of freedom. And then there is positive freedom which is the ability to act freely in pursuit of a goal or good. So, positive freedom is more than simply being free from restraints, it is being free to act towards a specific end. Freedom, according to our working definition, then, is the ability to exercise choice unhampered by external constraints.

There are different ways to think about what freedom means. One way is to think about it in terms of rights. Freedom, in this view, is the right to do what you want without interference from others. Freedom of speech, for example, is the right to say what you want without fear of censorship or punishment. Freedom of religion is the right to worship as you please without interference from the state. Freedom of association is the right to associate with whomever you choose, and so on.

Another way to think about freedom is in terms of power. Freedom, in this view, is the power to do what you want without interference from others. This kind of freedom is often thought of as “freedom of action”. It is the ability to act freely in pursuit of your goals and objectives. Freedom of action includes both negative and positive freedom.

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What Freedom Means to me

This personal essay will reflect on the individual meaning of freedom. It will explore how freedom manifests in different aspects of life – personal, social, and political. The piece will discuss the significance of freedom in expressing oneself, making choices, and enjoying rights and privileges, while also considering the responsibilities that come with it. It will provide a personal perspective on how freedom impacts one’s life and the value it holds. Moreover, at PapersOwl, there are additional free essay samples connected to Free Will.

How it works

There are millions of people around the world that live under conditions where the government withholds their human freedoms from them. Some people can not practice the religion they truly believe in, and others are scared for their lives on a daily basis. No matter how many restrictions citizens of different countries must abide by, nobody should be forced into silence. To “be free” means that everybody has the right to raise up their voice, and act for what they believe in.

To begin with, every human being has his or her natural right to freely convey their opinions and ideas.

In Franklin D. Roosevelt’s State of the Union address, “The Four Freedoms” speech, he expresses and displays the importance of having the freedom of speaking up for the right cause is. In his speech, Roosevelt comes up with a list of four freedoms that he believes should be given to every individual. The first freedom he mentions is the freedom of speech: “The first is freedom of speech and expression– everywhere in the world” (Roosevelt par. 275). By mentioning this freedom before the others, Roosevelt indicates how important it is to stand up for our beliefs. No matter how powerful governments become, they do not have the right to silence their citizens, as everyone is born with the right to freely voice their opinions. Furthermore, Roosevelt takes advantage of his own freedom of speech when he persuades citizens of America to help struggling or threatened democracies. Knowing that there will be a select few that would want to undermine his plan to join the war, he calls them out by declaring that, “[t]he best way of dealing with the few slackers or troublemakers in our midst is, first, to shame them by patriotic example[…]” (Roosevelt par. 45). Although Roosevelt’s language offends those he is regarding, it is an effective way to express his opinion. He believes that everyone will need to be on board with his plan in order for the democracies to be successful, and by making this comment Roosevelt is displaying his freedom of speech. No matter how angry “the slackers” get, Roosevelt has the freedom to say and express his beliefs freedom.

All in all, having the ability to express our views on different topics freely is a crucial right that all of us deserve. Likewise, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, and sexuality, nobody should be silenced, and forced to remain quiet about their views. In Malala Yousafzai’s speech, “Speech at the United Nations,” she raises her voice so that thousands of people silenced by the Taliban can be heard. Yousafzai connects her speech to a traumatic, and personal story to display how far some people will go to mute those who are being too loud: “Dear friends, on the ninth of October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead.[…] They though the bullets would silence us” (Yousafzai par. 14). The Taliban were ruthless and nearly killed an innocent little girl all because she was using her voice to speak up for her education. All she wanted was to go to school, but the Taliban had other plans in mind for her, and they did everything in their power to muffle her voice as best they could. Her goal here is to show that nobody can be silenced, as the freedom of speech is something everyone has the right to. With this in mind, Yousafzai continued to raise her voice for others that could not speak for themselves: “We call upon all governments to fight against terrorism and violence; to protect children from brutality and harm” (Yousafzai par. 26). What the Taliban did to make her weaker, only made Yousafzai stronger. The incident helped her find her voice that was louder than ever, and Yousafzai used that to her advantage. Once she found her voice, she did not let it go to waste, instead used it to make a difference for those who are in need of help. In the end, although others do everything in their power to keep is quiet, as long as we do not lose sight of our goal, we can never be silenced. Lastly, everyone around the world should be able to act upon their beliefs freely, as long as they are not negatively affecting others in the process.

Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, “Harrison Bergeron,” depicts a society where the government forces everyone to be equal, and nobody has the freedom of speech. In order to make sure that nobody is better than one another, the government forces those who are above average to wear handicaps. When Harrison Bergeron, a fourteen-year-old prisoner accused of plotting against the government, breaks out of jail, all he wants to do is use his platform to give rights back to the citizens: “Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds” (Vonnegut par. 56). The handicaps that Harrison was wearing before tearing them off, was a way for the government to restrict his thoughts. Harrison remains peaceful while standing up for his beliefs, and does not harm anybody else in the process. He is not doing anything wrong, as he is simply exercising his natural-born right to express his opinions freely. However, things quickly change for the better as the Handicap General enters the room with a gun, and both Harrison and his fiance “[..] were dead before they hit the floor” (Vonnegut par. 79). Harrison and his future wife did not deserve to die, for all they did was to express their opinions by peacefully acting out against the rules. They were not being violent towards anyone, and no matter how bad the government wants to keep everything under control, nobody should lose their life for standing up for their beliefs. All things considered, regardless of the circumstances, everybody should have the right to act based on their opinions, without government interference, as long as they are doing so peacefully. In short, to “be free” means that all of us have a right to freely speak up and act according to our beliefs. These rights are not exclusive to a certain group of people, everyone is born with the freedom of speech. Some may think that their lives are amazing, but it all means nothing if they are restricted from expressing their ideas.

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What Does It Mean To Be Free? (9 Types Of Freedom)

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drawing of hands breaking free from handcuffs - illustrating what does it mean to be free

When we think about freedom, our minds usually go to freedoms that people had to fight and die for, like freedom of religion, speech, to bear arms, and so on.

So we are quick to respond in the affirmative when confronted with philosophical questions such as “are we really free?”

Of course we’re free, we tell ourselves. We can say what we want, worship (or not) how we want, and even own guns if we want.

Johann van Goethe, who is widely regarded as the greatest and most influential writer in the German language, famously said, “none are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”

When you consider freedom in it truest form, which according to the Cambridge Dictionary is “the condition or right of being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc. whatever you want to, without being controlled or limited,” can you really say that you’re free?

Aside from the popular freedoms that we’re familiar with, are we free to do, say, think what we like without being controlled (even if it’s by fear) or limited?

Societal pressure, familial expectations, financial constraints, and fears limit many of us. We do things, not because we want to, but because we have to.

While we may be free to say what we want, political correctness holds us back from voicing our thoughts (sometimes rightly so).

We may be free to worship how we like, but religion adds even more rules and restrictions on our behavior.

Our financial constraints keep us from doing what we really want to do when we want to do it.

With all that in mind, can we say we’re really free? When you take all the constraints of life into consideration, what does it even mean to be free?

What Does It Mean To Be Free?

Some philosophers would argue that true freedom is impossible to attain. And while the thought of being completely free sounds nice, in practice, it would probably pose more problems than it would solve.

For example, imagine a world where laws were optional. If you’ve ever watched any of the Purge movies, you might find the concept of total freedom a little worrying.

But within the confines of laws, regulations, and general human decency, what does it mean to be free?

Freedom can mean different things to different people. For some people, it could mean being able to choose how they spend their day. Other people may define freedom as the ability to choose the type of work they do. To another group of people, freedom could mean the ability to buy whatever they want without having to worry about money.

When we expand our definition of freedom beyond what our government(s) assures us and take a critical look at our lives, we realize we’re not as free as we would like to think.

There are a lot of rules and guidelines that control our behaviors and police our desires. We have responsibilities and expectations that restrict how we spend our money and time. So many of our dreams have died quietly within us because we did not feel free to pursue them.

We spend our time and energy doing what is expected of us, rarely allowing ourselves to do what we want to do. While we may be physically free, our roles, responsibilities, limitations, and fears often imprison us in our minds.

At the core of the definition of freedom is choice. Many of us have had our ability to choose for ourselves taken away from us without even realizing it. So we follow the cookie cutter life that’s crafted for us, never realizing there is more to life outside our gilded cages of security.

9 Different Aspects Of Freedom

Within the confines of society, what does freedom look like? How can you be free physically, mentally, and emotionally? Below are 9 different ways we can be free:

1. Free to be your authentic self.

Freedom means being comfortable being yourself. It means knowing who you are and living in a way that is true to that. You can’t put on a different persona with different people in various circumstances and think you’re free. In reality, you’re imprisoned by the perceptions of those around you.

When you’re not your authentic self, it’s because you’re governed by the approval of others. The fear of rejection is pushing you to bury your authentic self beneath the persona you think others want or expect. Your desire for approval is causing you to be who you are not.

For some people, they’ve put on this act for so long that they no longer know who they really are. They’ve denied their authentic self for so long that they’ve lost all sense of self.

True freedom means you are free to be yourself in all your imperfect glory.

2. Free to live as you intend to live.

Freedom means being free to live as you want or intend to live. It means doing work that you’re passionate about. Being free means you work because you want to make yourself useful, in a manner of your own choosing. It does not mean you work because you have to.

This is not a freedom that is available only to the wealthy. It’s available to anyone who is willing to abandon comfort and embrace uncertainty. The freedom to live as you intend to live involves not following the usual path to success that everyone else follows. In order to have this freedom, you must chart your own path.

The path you choose will be more difficult than the well-beaten path others use, but it will lead to you working on your own terms. This path will lead to you doing work that is intentional and meaningful. Ultimately, this will lead to better job satisfaction and overall fulfillment.

3. Free from debt.

Debt limits every possibility in life. You cannot owe thousands of dollars and hope for any semblance of freedom. Financial freedom means being able to afford what you need and feeling financially stable instead of constantly stressed about making ends meet. With financial freedom, you can do work you love and feel passionate about it because you’re not chasing a high paying job in a bid to pay off debt.

Financial freedom is available to anyone at any income bracket. You don’t need to have a net worth of millions to be financially free. It might surprise you to know that some of the richest people in the world owe astronomical amounts of money.

Freedom from debt comes from not feeling the need to overspend and the ability to live within your means. Being financially free means not having to depend on other people for your basic needs, like food and clean clothes.

You don’t have to have multiple houses and cars, or travel to exotic locations to be financially free. Financial freedom can be as simple as acquiring income-producing skills that will ensure you always have job options. It can even be as simple as saving up as much money as you can, so you are not tied to a job that does not make you happy.

Financial freedom means options across many aspects of your life.

4. Free to delegate work.

Freedom to delegate work means being free to spend your time how you’d prefer. It means not being afraid to ask for help when you need it. It also means not feeling guilty to hire help for chores you hate to do, but need done nonetheless.

Many people refuse to delegate work because they’re afraid other people can’t do it as well as they can. Or they fear they’re wasting money by hiring someone else to do it. So they over stretch themselves just to make sure all the work is finished. This doesn’t help their productivity, nor their stress levels.

Being free to delegate work means taking back control of your time and how you spend it. It means upskilling people to do it as well as you can. This freedom allows you to have time to rest and recuperate. It helps you focus your energy on activities that are most beneficial to you.

5. Free to be healthy.

Illness and disease inhibit the extent to which you are free. If you are not as physically and mentally healthy as you can be, how free are you? You are limited from living a full life if you have any of the many ailments that result from lifestyle choices, such as diabetes or heart disease. If you don’t make your mental health a priority, you could fall victim to a number of mental illnesses.

Being free to be healthy also includes dealing with any addictions you may have. When you’re addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or anything really, you are controlled by that substance. Even something as simple as a caffeine addiction that has you drinking multiple cups of coffee every day in order to function properly restricts your freedom. The addiction does not need to have a negative impact on your health for it to impede your freedom. Anything that restricts your choice is a threat to your freedom. Addictions block your choice.

A free person takes their health into their own hands and improves their bodies the best they can. They are free from addictions and their bodies are equipped as much as possible to handle a health problem when it arises.

6. Free from the fear of being alone.

The fear of being alone has kept many people in toxic relationships that they should have left a long time ago. Freedom from the fear of being alone means valuing the relationship you have with yourself, first and foremost. It means being a complete person, without looking to someone else to complete you.

When you are afraid of being alone, you put up with behavior that you have no business tolerating. You attract people who are abusive because they can sense your fears. They might even use your fear against you to push you to accept their negative treatment.

Freedom from the fear of being alone means being free from toxic relationships, both platonic and romantic. It means loving yourself enough to leave an abusive relationship. This freedom means finding a healthy support system that helps you become a better version of yourself.

7. Free to put yourself first.

Putting ourselves first comes with a lot of guilt for many of us. We either feel guilty for taking the time to focus on our needs or we feel guilty for “wasting” limited funds on ourselves.

This guilt is often the result of years of cultural and religious teachings against being selfish and thinking about our wants and needs. In order not to seem selfish, we put anyone and everyone before our needs and wants. Sometimes even perfect strangers.

While there should be room in our lives for altruism, continuously running on empty to please everyone else only leads to health and mental challenges in the future. The freedom to put yourself first means prioritizing your self-care and your need to rest and refuel.

This freedom positively impacts the freedom to be healthy. Because by prioritizing yourself, you’re also putting your physical and mental health first. You’re being the advocate for yourself that you are for other people.

8. Free to make mistakes.

It’s impossible to learn without making a few errors along the way. But from a young age, we are indoctrinated with an unhealthy fear of making mistakes.

In elementary school, for example, after we are taught a new skill once, twice if we’re lucky, we practice it a few times through assignments and worksheets. If we get an answer wrong, the teacher marks our paper with a bright red pen. So naturally, we do our best to reduce the amount of red ink on our work because we know the reward is reserved for the person who doesn’t make any mistakes.

In reality, mistakes help us learn. It’s not likely that you’ll learn a new skill and make no mistakes right off the bat. But because we’ve learned to be afraid of making a mistake or shamed when we did, we fear doing so again in adulthood and easily give up in situations where we don’t quickly grasp what is being taught.

We now have to unlearn years of this mental conditioning that effectively sets us against improvement and development. The fear of making a mistake keeps us firmly in our comfort zone. It keeps us from branching out and reaching for our dreams. It keeps us right on the path of the status quo.

When we’re free to make mistakes, we’re open to learning, open to taking chances, and open to finding unusual solutions. This freedom gives us the courage to chart our own path, to go out in uncharted territory because we are not afraid.

9. Freedom from fear.

One thing you will notice with the different aspects of freedom mentioned above is that fear prevents us from enjoying most of them. Fear keeps us imprisoned. It prevents us from embracing discomfort and keeps us locked in the confines of our comfort zones.

With freedom comes a lot of unknown. We don’t know if we are making the right choice by stepping into our freedom. At least within our comfort zone, we’re comfortable. We may not be happy, but we know what to expect.

Freedom doesn’t give us the same guarantee. It just promises us the opportunity to do what will leave us with no regrets . Living without fear doesn’t mean the fear will disappear. Freedom from fear means not allowing fear to stop you. It means moving forward even as your knees are knocking together.

You essentially learn how to read your fear and differentiate between the fear that keeps you alive and the fear that holds you back from living your life fully.

Freedom is more nuanced than we have ever been taught or realized. It is more than just about your freedom of movement or speech. To be truly free, your mindset must embrace the possible negative impact of freedom on your immediate comfort. You must be willing to embrace a lifetime of struggle and commit to fighting against fear.

Because what is the use of religious and political freedom when we enslave ourselves by the way we live or think? True personal freedom means being able to live as you are, to do what you want, and to spend time with people you like. To cast off the expectations of society, family, culture, and religion requires a relentless pursuit of freedom.

The fight for freedom is deeply personal, but totally worth it.

Freedom Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on freedom.

Freedom is something that everybody has heard of but if you ask for its meaning then everyone will give you different meaning. This is so because everyone has a different opinion about freedom. For some freedom means the freedom of going anywhere they like, for some it means to speak up form themselves, and for some, it is liberty of doing anything they like.

Meaning of Freedom

The real meaning of freedom according to books is. Freedom refers to a state of independence where you can do what you like without any restriction by anyone. Moreover, freedom can be called a state of mind where you have the right and freedom of doing what you can think off. Also, you can feel freedom from within.

The Indian Freedom

Indian is a country which was earlier ruled by Britisher and to get rid of these rulers India fight back and earn their freedom. But during this long fight, many people lost their lives and because of the sacrifice of those people and every citizen of the country, India is a free country and the world largest democracy in the world.

Moreover, after independence India become one of those countries who give his citizen some freedom right without and restrictions.

The Indian Freedom Right

India drafted a constitution during the days of struggle with the Britishers and after independence it became applicable. In this constitution, the Indian citizen was given several fundaments right which is applicable to all citizen equally. More importantly, these right are the freedom that the constitution has given to every citizen.

These right are right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion¸ culture and educational right, right to constitutional remedies, right to education. All these right give every freedom that they can’t get in any other country.

Value of Freedom

The real value of anything can only be understood by those who have earned it or who have sacrificed their lives for it. Freedom also means liberalization from oppression. It also means the freedom from racism, from harm, from the opposition, from discrimination and many more things.

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Freedom does not mean that you violate others right, it does not mean that you disregard other rights. Moreover, freedom means enchanting the beauty of nature and the environment around us.

The Freedom of Speech

Freedom of speech is the most common and prominent right that every citizen enjoy. Also, it is important because it is essential for the all-over development of the country.

Moreover, it gives way to open debates that helps in the discussion of thought and ideas that are essential for the growth of society.

Besides, this is the only right that links with all the other rights closely. More importantly, it is essential to express one’s view of his/her view about society and other things.

To conclude, we can say that Freedom is not what we think it is. It is a psychological concept everyone has different views on. Similarly, it has a different value for different people. But freedom links with happiness in a broadway.

FAQs on Freedom

Q.1 What is the true meaning of freedom? A.1 Freedom truly means giving equal opportunity to everyone for liberty and pursuit of happiness.

Q.2 What is freedom of expression means? A.2 Freedom of expression means the freedom to express one’s own ideas and opinions through the medium of writing, speech, and other forms of communication without causing any harm to someone’s reputation.

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What Does Freedom Mean to You? 3

In the U.S., we say we are “the land of the free.” The lyrics of our songs, extoll the virtues and necessity of freedom: Let freedom ring. Sing your freedom, because there’s nothing in the world like freedom, freedom of speech / freedom to say / freedom to think / this is my lucky day.

We assume the rights of freedom and debate its boundaries in politics, yet how often do we take time to reflect on what freedom means to us personally?

Freedom is not a concept carved from stone; it is malleable and personal, always shifting shape depending on where you find yourself standing and the angle of the slanting light.

My personal definition of freedom is the ability to act based on my convictions without external restriction or retribution. It is the ability to represent myself as I see myself to be, not having to hide or disguise who I am in order to pursue happiness, fulfillment, and growth. It is the power of free self-expression. Personal freedom is one of my top three values.

Of course, there are boundaries to freedom. My actions should not hurt others or restrict their personal freedoms, and so this is the dance of conscience. Will what I want conflict with what others want or need? If so, how can I have the personal autonomy I need while respecting the freedom of those around me? I believe there is always a path for mutual free expression, when we respect one another.

Today, as we prepare to celebrate our country’s independence, I offer the following quotes as food for thought and as writing prompts:

“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” ― William Faulkner

“If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” ― Noam Chomsky

“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.” ― Jean-Paul Sartre

“The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage.” ― Carrie Jones

And I leave you with these questions:

Which, if any, of these quotes resonate with you?
What do you believe about freedom and how do you describe or define it for yourself? –

Please share your thoughts on Freedom — leave a comment.

3 thoughts on “ What Does Freedom Mean to You? ”

Freedom is a responsibility, not just a privilege or a right to which I am merely entitled. Freedom means that I must recognize that my rights stop where another person’s begins. Freedom also means expressing myself freely but not so unrestrained that my expressions/words harm others. Freedom means being able to leave my home or neighborhood without fear of bodily injury or death. Freedom means being able to embrace creativity without fear or retribution. Freedom comes with a price, though. For sometimes in others pursuit of their freedoms, they bully or physically harm another. In that regard freedom seems like a double-edged sword.

Well said, Sara. Freedom IS responsibility — to ourselves and those around us, to respect everyone’s space and expression. Yet, it is sometimes difficult to see when we might be harming (or at least infringing) on others. Freedom is also related to the drive to become who we are, to live up to our potential. Complicated, yet important to think about.

This is very good, Amber. Thank you for your input. My classmate and I appreciate you. We are doing a project on freedom and this helped a lot! much love xoxo.

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What Freedom Means to Me

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Patriot's Pen Essay Contest is a youth essay competition, conducted nationwide, which gives students a chance to write 300 to 400-word essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. This year the theme is "What Freedom Means to Me" and Sublimity School had three 7th-grade students at the local awards ceremony held Nov. 10 at the Stayton Fire Hall. Sublimity winners chosen by our local VFW post, are: Rachel Ptacek, 1st place; Mya Joyce, 2nd place; CharlyBeth Woodley, 3rd place.

From left to right, CharlyBeth Woodley, Rachel Ptacek and Mya Joyce, Sublimity School 7th graders recognized for their submissions in the VFW Patriot's Pen Essay Contest, theme "What Freedom Means to Me."

These students' essays will now advance to the district level of competition for further consideration, potentially advancing to regional and national competitions. Below are the three essays:

The definition of freedom is, the condition of being free from restraints, but to me, freedom is more than that, freedom is having the right to be me and express myself. With the freedom our veterans have fought for, we really get to be ourselves. Freedom lets us talk how we want and explain about yourself to be how you want yourself. You can protest for what you believe is right and even if it's wrong you are able to express it. You can have a religion to follow what you believe in, not what you are forced to believe in. Not being afraid to say what you believe, because nothing bad will happen to you. If you do, it’s not a secret, is another great freedom we have. I also get to write how I want and about what I want to write about. The freedom of press. I can write fun or serious stories however I want to. Then I can share them and don't have to hide them like in some other countries. Another great freedom here is getting to go to school. In other countries, kids don't get to go to school, let alone girls. I learn a lot at school and it’s where I become myself the most. Without this freedom we would all be more alike, and not be able to be ourselves. Every morning I wake up, not having fears of whether or not I’ll live that day. I’m confident to act as my normal self. I have no fear of this because our future, present, and past men and women have fought to keep us safe. Not in the middle of wars and not worried for our lives. Allowing us to confidently live our day. It is all of these things that make us who we are, and with the freedom we have fought for, we really can be ourselves. So freedom might just be a word in the dictionary, but to me, freedom is getting to be one-hundred percent me. — Rachel Ptacek

To me, freedom means to be able to go to school, walk around, and do almost anything without worrying about the safety of yourself and those you love. Unlike other countries, you don’t have to wonder whether you are going to live through the day. Technically, freedom means ‘the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint,’ but here in the United States of America, it means so much more. To Americans and others living here, freedom is the right to be yourself. We can practice any religion, such as Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, or any others. We may print or write whatever we want. We can petition, if we feel necessary. Americans can have whatever job we are qualified for. We aren’t forced to have certain professions. Anyone can get a free and formal education through high school. In addition, anyone, at any age, has the right to continue their education. The reason we are able to enjoy these freedoms is because of our military. I thank all former and current military men and women, who gave us this gift of freedom, which we, as Americans, are known for. I know that many other people do as well. America is an amazing place to live, because of our freedom, and our military, who protect us every day. Many citizens of other countries immigrate here from places, such as Mexico and China. My grandma, Linda Lai, and my mom, Carol Joyce, came to America in 1972. They came here because of the opportunities we have due to our freedom. This wonderful thing that we were given in the Revolutionary War, which is protected by our military every day, is the reason that I am in America today. Therefore, every American citizen should be proud of this beautiful country. Without the liberties we have as a free country, we wouldn’t be in the same situations as today. Our flag, with its 50 stars and 13 stripes, represents our freedom. As long as this flag still flies, I know I’m free. I am so proud to be an American. God bless the U.S.A.! — Mya Joyce

Freedom is not just a word. The meaning behind it is much more. Freedom is the ability to express myself the way I want to. There is no uniform on how my life should be. With freedom I can choose my own moral compass, make my own decisions. Being in a country with freedom means I can choose my own religion. With freedom I can say what I want. Freedom to me means no one rules my life. I choose my own future. Choosing my own moral compass lets me believe what I think is right and what I think is wrong. I believe we have an amazing privilege to have freedom. I know our freedom did not come easy. The veterans who fought for our freedom risked their lives for us. I am very familiar with what it’s like to have someone important to you fight for my freedom. My dad is veteran of the United States army. He served for seventeen years. He fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now my brother is in the military. Freedom means a lot to me because my family fought for it. I am very thankful for all the men and women who fought for my freedom. Being free lets me choose my own future. I can be anything I dream of. Since I am free I can do things other women around the world cannot. I can work, I can get an education, I am aloud to drive on my own. Being a free American means I can marry who I want. There is equality because we are free. Being free is a beautiful thing. I am thankful for everyone who fought or fights for my freedom. They fight for my rights. So when someone asks me what freedom means to me I will reply, freedom is my future, freedom is what my family fights for, freedom means everything to me. — CharlyBeth Woodley

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Narrative Essay: What Freedom Means to Me?

Narrative Essay on What Freedom Means to Me

Have you ever thought what does the word “freedom” mean? I think it is quite an abstract thing which is different for each individual. For example, for me, freedom means doing something that I want if it doesn’t harm other people. However, it cannot be described in simple words, because the word itself contains numerous deeper meanings. It depends on the individual understanding of freedom, and each of us understands it in different ways.

Someone thinks that the freedom is connected with the right to say anything the person wants without a fear of being punished or restricted of doing so. Others think that freedom is connected in walking anywhere they want. Some people think that freedom is your right to choose the government. But no one can say, what is the freedom itself? And in my essay, I have decided to drive deeply into the issue of freedom definition and share my thoughts what does freedom actually means.

I agree that freedom is the right to speak and do everything you want, but only when it doesn’t limit others rights and freedoms. Numerous countries don’t have freedom for their citizens. People are not allowed to criticize their government and cannot freely express their opinion on public. And when they are trying to say something different from the opinion of their government they are being punished. There, people can be fined or imprisoned because of their will to have freedom.

When I hear the word freedom from others, I am thinking about the freedom of choice. This meaning of freedom is easy to understand. People usually connect it with the elections. When there are several politic parties to choose from the person experiences freedom when choosing the one he or she believes in most. Of course, there are countries where politics is connected with the criminal world, and their people don’t have freedom of choice because of corruption, and their choice was paid for by someone else. But there are people who in these countries fight for liberty and sometimes they are changing everything. Like it was in Georgia and then in Ukraine, because their people understood what freedom is and that the choices they made before were not right.

Freedom can also be connected with the right of opening your own business and gain the financial independence. You can produce goods and services and work on your own. But in corrupted countries, I think it is impossible to open your own business without criminal support. That is because the economy of such countries is not healthy and competition is not connected with marketing and advertising activities, but in real money, which you are ready to pay corrupted law enforcement officers and criminals to start your business and then maintain it. And countries, where freedom is respected, provide equal opportunities for all. In this particular case, freedom is joined with financial wellness.

There are also cases when freedom means the right to say “no”. If you don’t agree with the government decision, community decision or another person decision you can say “no”. You don’t need to follow these decisions and you will never be punished for that. But this works only in cases when your ideas and actions do not violate the law and won’t cause harm to the people around you.

So what does freedom mean to me? At my opinion freedom can be connected with not following standard our society has. Freedom is something beyond stereotypes and templates and real personal freedom is a strong opportunity to express yourself in any possible way. Tattoos, piercing, hair style or clothes, we are free to wear or do anything with our body, and this is our freedom of expression. People why are thinking beyond stereotypes understand and respect that freedom.

Freedom is a way of thinking and understanding world around us, and each person understands it in his or her own way, and of course all of us has an own understanding of it. And each of us in some cases needs to fight for this freedom.

I am also thinking that freedom is actions of individuals who don’t need to ask themselves “why?” and just do things they love to do. Freedom is the absence of borders; you can feel freedom in your mind and freedom around you. Imagine that you are at the mountain peak and the world is a small point at the bottom. Do you feel freedom surrounding you? I can bear that you are! That is the real freedom which has a smell of wind and mountains, the skies in front of you. Birds are free to fly anywhere, and I can say for sure that you can also choose your own route.

So freedom can be connected with anything, either actions or thoughts and each person free to express his or her freedom if it doesn’t limit or violates the rights of others. Freedom is around us, and our understanding of this word is different but always closely connected with people around us. Freedom to choose, freedom to do, understand, think, get or any other verb we can insert after the word freedom. It is great to have freedom and a lot of people are still fighting for their freedom. And I hope they will soon get it in one or another way. The world without freedom is too cruel to live in, and if I had no freedom, I would probably be depressed with its absence.

In American society, freedom is the basic notion which each person must understand. Freedom is our American Dream and it was never connected with material things. It is our freedom and freedom of our nation and we should never forget it.

“Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.” Benjamin Franklin

References: Mises Institute. (n.d.). Ben Franklin on Liberty. [online] Available at: https://mises.org/library/ben-franklin-liberty [Accessed 19 Dec. 2016].

The Essence of True Freedom

Category: Philosophy
Topic: Free Will

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What Does It Mean To Be Free? (9 Types Of Freedom)

What Does It Mean To Be Free?

9 Different Aspects Of Freedom

1. Free to be your authentic self.

2. Free to live as you intend to live.

3. Free from debt.

4. Free to delegate work.

5. Free to be healthy.

6. Free from the fear of being alone.

7. Free to put yourself first.

8. Free to make mistakes.

9. Freedom from fear.

Freedom Essay for Students and Children

Meaning of Freedom

The Indian Freedom

The Indian Freedom Right

Value of Freedom

The Freedom of Speech

FAQs on Freedom

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What Does Freedom Mean to You? 3

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What Freedom Means to Me

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