Dear friend,

All of us crave freedom. Freedom is an idea that has inspired revolutions, revolts and wars. Freedom from foreign rule. Freedom of speech. Freedom of thought. Freedom to be the way we are. Freedom of movement. Freedom for our parents rules. Freedom to wear the clothes we want. Freedom to decide who to marry. Financial freedom. Political freedom. Sexual freedom. Intellectual freedom. Spiritual freedom.

It seems the desire for freedom is almost like the prime motivator in our lives. One might almost say that our entire lives are nothing but a search and strife for freedom.

Would you agree?

If yes, I'd urge you right now to take a few minutes to think (and write) what kind of freedom do you crave for? Try and be as specific. Use the fill in the blank format below to aid your reflection.

I want freedom from _________, so that I may be able to __________. This is really important to me becuase __________.

Try it.

I want freedom from emotions, so that I may be able to think and behave more rationally. This is really important to me becuase I have large aspirations and emotions often trigger me and make me ineffective in my actions.

I want freedom from limited thinking, so that I may be able to grow beyond my limitations. This is really important to me becuase I believe in the unlimited power of human potential.

You try it now.

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What limits your freedom?

A baby elephant is kept tied to a pole with a rope of a certain lenght. It cannot move beyond the area of the circle defined by the length of the rope. When the elephant grows up, the elephant keeper does not even have to tie the rope to the pole anymore. The elephant is so used to staying within the circle, that it will not venture out. You've heard this before.

As a young boy, I used to have a very dear friend who I loved being with and hanging out with. He and I got along so well and vibed on many things. But after a year or so, I found that I became afraid of losing the friendship. Every now and then he would get upset with me about something I said or did, or didn't know. He would then stop talking to me for a few days. This was very painful. I didn't like the painful feeling. So I became very careful of everything I said or did around him. I didn't want him to be upset and stop talking. I stopped being myself. I stopped speaking my mind. I limited myself. I lost my freedom.

In school we used to love bursting loud crackers during Diwali. We would gather all kinds of crackers, tie them up together and light them. We would remove the gunpowder from them, and stuff them into plastic bottles and make out own crackers. My neighbour was an elderly person retired from the air force. He was a strong and silent personality and never really socialised with us. He always seems very strict. He even had a gun and there were stories of how he had shot someone who was openly defecation by the stream behind his house. I don't know if it was true or not but all the children in our neighboured with 'shit' scared. One Diwali, as we were having fun with bombs and crackers, he came out with his gun and told us firmly to stop bursting crackers before 5pm. It disturbed his sleep. 'But it's Diwali uncle' we pleaded. He just looked sternly at us. We kept quiet. He was right. It's not right to disturb your neighbours. But we were kids. It was Diwali. Yet, we felt threatened and scared. Thats it, we stopped playing with crackers.

There are various reasons we lose our freedom.

What limits your freedom?

What stops you from being playful?

What prevents you from speaking your mind and being yourself?

Try this.

My freedom is taken away or reduced by ____________. This happens when ___________ and makes me think that _____________ and hence I become limited.

My freedom is taken away or reduced by feeling irritated or angry. This happens when people dont behave the way I expect them to and makes me think that people can never be trusted or depended upon and hence I become limited.

My freedom is taken away or reduced by fear of rejection or humiliation. This happens when people reject me or my ideas and makes me think that I am not good enough and hence I become limited.

Now you try it.

Just writing these few sentences has opened up my mind and made me understand my own limited behaviour more clearly. I hope it will do the same for you.

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Let's not be limited. Let's claim back our freedom. Let's break through the shackles.

The Britishers imposed salt tax in India. No one could make and sell salt without paying tax. Mahatma Gandhi opposed the salt tax and marched to Dandi. He defied the British. He got arrested and lathi charged. He claimed his freedom back.

Freedom did come overnight. It was a long struggle. But it was worth it.

Let me not make it sound easy or that it will happen overnight just because you read this letter and felt inspired. It may not. It may take years. But it will be worth it.

But it also may happen overnight. It might be very easy. You won't know unless you give it a shot. So, go back to the beginning of the letter and do fill in the blanks. See if you can articulate your own limitations or lack of freedom today. It's the first step to breaking free and becoming playful.

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Here are 5 short stories I found about people fighting for freedom. See what kind of energy and inspiring you may find as you read them. I found mine.

1. Arunima Sinha's Climb to Freedom (India): Arunima Sinha was a national-level volleyball player in India when she was thrown off a moving train by thieves. As a result, she lost one of her legs. Instead of succumbing to despair, she set a remarkable goal: to become the first female amputee to climb Mount Everest. In 2013, she achieved this incredible feat, proving that physical limitations cannot restrict the human spirit's quest for freedom.

I met Arunima when we invited her to pune to speak at an event. I found my freedom in making a two page comic of her story. I’m attaching it here if you like to read and be even more inspired by her story.

2. Richard Turere's Freedom for Wildlife (Kenya): Richard Turere, a young Maasai boy in Kenya, developed a simple yet ingenious system of flashing lights to deter lions from attacking his family's livestock. His invention not only protected his community's livelihood but also prevented the need to kill lions in retaliation. Richard's innovation exemplifies how creativity can provide freedom for both humans and wildlife.

3. The Freedom Riders (United States): In the early 1960s, a group of activists known as the Freedom Riders challenged segregation on public transportation in the United States. They rode buses through the South, facing violence and arrest, to demand an end to racial segregation. Their actions helped pave the way for the desegregation of buses and public facilities.

4. Dr. Amani Ballour's Underground Freedom (Syria): Dr. Amani Ballour, a pediatrician, served as the pediatric and neonatal director at an underground hospital in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, during the Syrian civil war. Her dedication to providing medical care to children and families in the midst of conflict showcased the power of human resilience and the pursuit of freedom, even in the most challenging circumstances.

5. Jadav Payeng - The Forest Man of India:

In the early 1980s, Jadav Payeng, a resident of Assam, India, began planting trees on a barren sandbar in the Brahmaputra River. Year after year, he continued this labor of love, nurturing a lush forest in what was once a desolate landscape. His dedication led to the creation of Molai Forest, which is now a 1,360-acre thriving ecosystem, home to numerous plant and animal species. Jadav Payeng's story is a testament to the freedom of environmental stewardship and the incredible impact one person can have on the natural world.

These lesser-known stories highlight the diverse ways in which individuals have pursued and achieved freedom, whether it's overcoming physical challenges, advocating for justice, or redefining the concept of home and living. They serve as reminders that the human spirit is resilient and adaptable, capable of finding freedom in the most unexpected places and circumstances.

It’s crazy stuff.

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I want to the humans of the world break free from the feeling of insecurity. Insecurity causes us to close up, build barriers, disconnect from people, and become more protective. This is limits or potential to be happy and successful in our endeavour. Insecurity makes the world more polarised. It makes us less playful.

I want to break free from my own insecurities.

Will people read what I write and listen to what I say?

Will I be able to work and collaborate with people much smarter and much more accomplished than me towards a common goal?

Will we be able to transformat higher education so that young people can be more entrepreneurial and live a life of joy and abundance?

Will we be able to grow our organisation meaningfully without losing our culture and values?

Am I good enough?

Time to break free.

Time to take the risk and put myself out there.

What about you, my friend?

What freedom do you yearn for?

Do write to me.

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And by the way, this a Diwali I made pickle again. And by this weekend, I be sharing the video and recipe on my Instagram profile. pickles give vegetables freedom from rotting! It snowing then to be stored and enjoyed for a long time!

But humans beings should not let our ideas and ourselves get pickled. Don’t allow yourself to stagnate or get limited by anything. Especially not by your own beliefs or current knowledge. Get out there and keep learning. Knowledge liberates.

I’m fratitude,

adi