The Sixth Freedom

"The freedom to choose when and where to exercise the other five freedoms."

The sixth freedom might seem the same as the five inhibitions, but the sixth freedom brings choice. Inhibition is not a chosen response, but a rule-driven one. Further, inhibition focuses upon 'not doing' something, while the sixth freedom remains a positive choice.

Choice makes all the difference. To have a freedom cannot require exercising that freedom. We do not always feel safe exercising our freedoms, but we do not forfeit them when we choose to not exercise them. We lose our freedom when we are prevented from exercising them—or when we prevent ourselves from exercising them.

The sixth freedom is a powerful, empowering resource. As you move away from being driven by The Five Inhibitions, your first steps might well involve nothing more than choosing not to exercise your Five Freedoms, which need not be compulsively, consistently invoked for you to maintain them. While The Five Inhibitions can easily become the Five Imperatives, The Five Freedoms cannot become imperatives and remain freedoms.

No one can mandate the freedom to choose without forfeiting that very freedom.