Photo by Jonathon Colman http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcolman/

Do you ever wonder what the heck I’m talking about when I use the phrase, “a liberated life”?

Just for fun, I’ve come up with this quiz to help you see where you fall on the liberated life spectrum (as defined by moi). The statements themselves will help to illustrate what this concept of “liberated life” is all about, and maybe they’ll even spark you into thinking differently about how freedom shows up in your own life.

This is in no way a scientifically validated quiz…but I invite you to let me know if you have insights into yourself while filling it out. And have fun with it!

Using the scale provided, rate how true each of the following 12 statements is for you. Then add up your results to see how you’re doing at the bottom. (This is a low-tech quiz for now… if anyone has tips on how to make it more user-friendly on WordPress, let me know!)

1) I am aware of my emotional states (e.g. happy, sad, angry) and in touch with my feelings, without letting them overwhelm me.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

2) I am aware of my mental states (e.g. clarity, confusion, obsessed, optimistic) and can find ways to work with them without feeling overwhelmed by them.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

3) I am aware of my physical states (e.g. tired, energized, hungry). I consider myself “embodied,” and not out-of-touch or disconnected with my body.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

4) I do not judge myself harshly; I accept myself as I am.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

5) I’ve gotten to know myself and I’ve become my own best friend. I’m free of the compulsion to be affirmed or validated by others.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

6) I can find something in my life that I am grateful for each day – even if it’s been a terrible day.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

7) I have an attitude of empowerment. I consider myself to be an agent of change, not a victim of circumstance.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

8) I’ve looked at my demons and they no longer control me. They may not have completely disappeared from my internal landscape, but when they arise now, I can steer them in a different direction. They no longer drive me to do things I later regret, or prevent me from doing things that I really want to do.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

9) I have an awareness of the expectations that society and my particular cultural background have imprinted on my life. But this awareness has helped me to be un-bound from those expectations.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

10) I’ve created a livelihood that is in alignment with my values. I have a way of making money that draws on my gifts.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

11) For the most part, my life is attuned with my personal rhythms of sleep, creativity, rest, and productivity. I am not bound by a time clock or by someone else’s expectations or schedule.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

12) I remember that I’m a small part of a much larger community and world, and I give back. I know that we are all interconnected, and we are happy to the extent that we are involved in a cause bigger than ourselves.

1 – Never True              2 – Sometimes True              3 – Always true

Okay, got those all added up?

AND THE RESULTS ARE….

31 – 36 Wow, that’s great – you are the very model of a liberated life! In fact, I may want to consider you for an interview for the Liberated Life Project. Please drop me a line here.

21 – 30 You’re on the right track! You understand what it means that “freedom is an inside job.” You have also taken a good look at what you want in life and you’re on the road to making it happen. Like most of us, you could use some support to expand into even more liberation. Here are a few posts from the LLP archives that may help take you to the next emancipatory level:

• How to Find the Courage to Question Your World
• The Art of Asking Liberating Questions
• How to Be the Executive Director of Your Own Life
• What We Can Learn about Liberation from Osama bin Laden

12 – 20 I’m going to guess that you’re yearning for more freedom in your life but you may be struggling to figure out how to make that happen. Here are a few posts from the LLP archives that may be helpful for you:

• The Chance of a Lifetime is to Be Yourself (on radical self-acceptance)
• How to Avoid the Hole in the Sidewalk (on self-awareness)
• How to Start or Deepen a Spiritual Practice

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