The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in his press briefings about coronavirus restrictions, frequently refers to the importance of the ‘freedoms of the British people’. I’m somewhat uncomfortable about this slightly awkward use of the English language, especially coming from one so illustriously educated, but I agree with the sentiment.

Freedom is important.

The question is, which is most important to you? The freedom to…? Or the freedom from…?

As you play with those two different phrases in your mind, what do you notice?

For me, when I think about acquiring the ‘freedom to’, I feel a sense of opportunities opening up, of lightness and laughter, I feel the empowerment of choice. It’s a feeling that prompts me to sit up straighter and to lift my head. To look the world in the eye and invent my future.

When I think I about acquiring ‘freedom from’ (assuming I can ignore the echoes of a popular supermarket brand of gluten-free products), I get a completely different experience. When I think of acquiring the ‘freedom from’ I experience a narrowing of focus and pull towards examining the past. If I indulge this further, I start noticing small irritations and tiresome tasks, repeating irrelevant events and people I’d rather not deal with.

Does it make me feel free? No, it makes me feel irritated and tired. It highlights the troubles from which I am NOT free.

In a nutshell, this is the difference between Towards and Away From motivation. It’s also the difference between your brain in Reward or Threat mode.

The contemplation of ‘freedom to’ stimulates creative thinking, it engenders a feeling of autonomy and choice, it puts us in the driving seat of our own lives. Even if it’s the freedom to do something which you may ultimately choose not to do. The choice is important. The choice triggers the brain into Reward mode.

Thinking about the ‘freedom from’, in the past year I have experienced freedom from early morning starts, uncomfortable shoes, travel expenses and motorway service lunches. Did it make me happy? Not especially, because none of these things were big problems for me, but it may have engendered a few brief flashes of gratitude.

I’ve had the ‘freedom to’ run a very flexible schedule, to work on my creative projects, to avoid unwanted social interaction. Did that make me happy? Sometimes, but not every day.

You see, there is a difference between focusing on the freedom you have and the freedom you want. Try it:

Think of an area of your life: work, family, a hobby, a goal:

• What do you currently have the freedom to do?
• What do you currently enjoy freedom from?
• What do you want the freedom to do (which you currently lack)?
• What do you want freedom from (that you currently endure)?

This shows the importance of context. It also shows the significance of choosing your focus. If you focus on the freedom you have, that’s always going to be more productive than focusing on the freedom you lack.

…and ultimately, I can’t help thinking that we have in fact, enjoyed a great deal of freedom during our period of enforced lockdown, if we choose to see it that way.