What does freedom actually mean to you? How do you quantify freedom?
Freedom
On the heels of Independence Day, I have thoughts of freedom running through my mind today. Freedom is the one of the major reasons I chose to change my life from radio to flying airplanes.
My freedom comes from feeling untethered from things in this world that weigh me down or otherwise encumber me. Hence, the reason I love flying, is that I am temporarily untethered by gravity and flying is the place where I feel most free and my soul is most at ease.
When I was first considering this massive life change, I had numerous long conversations with one of my best friends and mentors, Shawn, who works with Delta Airlines. The conversations were centered around how free he felt at all times. Freedom to choose his schedule, freedom from having to be contactable when he is off work, freedom to live the life he wanted.
It was this freedom that was so incredibly appealing and the polar opposite of where my life was at that time. When I worked in the radio business, my free time was never mine. I was always needing to be available for work for whatever they needed done for the next day's show. Constant emails, constant phone calls, constant texts, constant updating of social media to align with the companies goals and standards. It wasn't long before I was completely burned out.
It seems that many of today's companies expect this level of constant engagement under the guise of "if you love your job, it's not work." I disagree with this expectation. I feel that if one wants to be constantly engaged in their work life and that is what makes them happy then, so be it. It is the expectation by the company that an employee should be keeping up this level of engagement is the problem.
When I was going through training to get all my appropriate ratings and the required 1500 hours total flight time needed to get to the airlines, it was this picture of freedom in my head that kept me moving the whole time. I trusted that if I could just keep working as hard as possible to get where I wanted to be, the rewards would be great.
I am happy to say that even in the infancy stages of my airline career, where I am now, my life is a massive departure from the stress and deep unhappiness I felt. I did have to come through remarkable amounts of stress to get here but as expected, I am the happiest I have ever been in life. It isn't just with my career either, it is with every facet of life.
Have a great day. Remain grateful for the journey you're on and do everything in your power to expedite your freedom and happiness.
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