Being a free spirit sounds fun, but it’s a lot of hard work. Being a free spirit isn’t just about being able to do what you want when you want. It’s also about making your own decisions and thinking for yourself instead of falling into the trap of societal expectations.
Being free is an exhausting experience that challenges the very idea of who humans are. In this world, it’s easy to follow the crowd. But being free requires courage, tenacity, and stubbornness.
I’ve laid out seven struggles that every free spirit will face in their journey for happiness and self-actualization.
7 struggles that free spirits face
1. You never feel like you fit in
We live in a world where fitting into a group is essential. We don’t want to be outcasts, so we seek the comfort of a community that will welcome us with open arms. The problem with this logic is that those communities are fickle and temporary.
Fitting into these groups can also lead to stagnation in your personal growth; you never get challenged to think outside what’s comfortable because you’re surrounded by people who have the same opinions as you on everything.
Free spirits find it hard to fit in with most people because they don’t have the same opinions, goals, and fears. This means that often there’s no common ground for conversation or connection.
Free spirits can feel alienating and lonely as a result.
If this is you, don’t be disheartened. There are communities out there for free spirits who will appreciate your weirdness and individuality; you just need to find them.
2. Interest in too many different things
Free spirits are always growing. They never stop learning, loving, and evolving. This makes them more open-minded than most people because they constantly explore new things, ideas, and places.
Unfortunately, this means that it’s hard to build a foundation in one or two areas of life. It’s easy for free spirits to get distracted by their other interests and neglect career goals, friendships, and romantic relationships because those things don’t give instant gratification like learning about quantum physics does.
Free spirits sometimes feel guilty when they ignore commitments to focus on what excites them instead. But being able to do whatever you want is the best kind of happiness there is!
3. Find it hard to full commit
To be free, you have to commit to your freedom. This means saying no when someone tries to tie you down with expectations and responsibilities that don’t feel right to you.
It’s hard to do this day after day, but it’s the key ingredient in being happy and living a life of abundance. It’s also partially why free spirits can never stay in one place for too long; they’d instead find happiness than keep other people happy by staying where they are forever.
This means that free spirits find it challenging to commit to full-time jobs, relationships, and places. Even if they do commit, it’s often a trial period for them because they keep looking for greener pastures outside the boundaries of their current circumstances.
Free spirits need to learn how to balance the commitment to their freedom with the benefits of committing to one thing.
4. You have to find the meaning in everything
Having your own answers challenges the very idea of society. We live in a world where we’re supposed to take what we’re told by our teachers, parents, and schools at face value.
This means you have to figure out for yourself why things are the way they are and how you fit into the universe as a whole. It’s confronting when you realize that no one can tell you what’s best for you except yourself.
The biggest mistake-free spirits make is assuming that everyone thinks like them. They start to impose their opinions and beliefs on others, leading to conflict when they disagree.
Free spirits need to learn that they have a unique perspective on the world, and it’s okay for everyone else not to share it – they have to respect other opinions as equally valid.
5. Find it difficult to meet likeminded people
Free spirits are unique and don’t fit into traditional molds. While this makes them special, it’s also the root of their biggest challenge: finding friends who really get them.
It’s hard to make friends when you think and act in a completely different way than all the people you know. It can also be tough for free spirits to find like-minded partners who share their love of adventure and freedom.
This means that it’s common for free spirits to have few acquaintances or none at all. They may become socially reclusive, opting to spend their time alone rather than trying fruitlessly to connect with others.
As long as they don’t let being lonely affect them too much, free spirits should try meeting new people instead of shutting themselves off from the world.
6. You don’t tolerance closed-minded people
Free spirits need to expand their horizons to be happy continuously. They can’t do this without interacting with people who have different opinions and interests than them.
It’s not easy to sit and listen to small-minded people go on and on about how they think the world should be. This is what it’s like for free spirits when they’re forced to spend time with people who don’t share their open thoughts and opinions.
Unfortunately, these types of people are everywhere, so it’s hard for free spirits to avoid them. Other people don’t understand why they’re so passionate about the things they love and hate – it’s frustrating for everyone involved.
7. You need a deep connection with others.
For free spirits, having relationships means a deep connection with someone. It may be a romantic partner or close friend – whatever it is; the person has to mean a lot to them to make a commitment and build a bond.
Free spirits can’t just fall in love with anyone: they need to share some common interests and passions before they can dedicate their time and attention to someone else. If their partner doesn’t understand this about them, then it may be difficult for free spirits to maintain their relationship if they feel disconnected from that person on an intellectual level.
It’s hard for free-spirited people to find these types of connections because most people don’t let themselves go enough for this kind of thing to happen naturally. Free spirits have the option of taking their time looking for the right person or just being single until they meet someone who really blows them away.
But most importantly, free spirits need to remember that everyone comes from a different background and experiences life differently. The key is to appreciate other perspectives as valid regardless of how much you identify with them.
How to deal with these struggles
For free spirits, the key to happiness is finding a balance between doing what they want and compromising with other people. They need to remember that freedom isn’t about doing whatever you want whenever you want it: it’s about having all options available to choose from.
Free spirits are special because of their individualism, so they should always appreciate their uniqueness even though everyone else is different. Learning how to accept and understand other opinions will help them avoid conflict in the future while remaining true to themselves.
The biggest challenge for free-spirited people is meeting like-minded people who share their ideas, but this may not be as hard as they think! There are plenty of hidden places filled with uniquely talented individuals who just have yet to find each other.
These places include festivals, workshops, and other rich activities with a variety of like-minded people. People who may not be open-minded on their own often find themselves opening up once they’re around others who think the same way.
At the end of the day, free spirits just want to express themselves without judgment or criticism. The best way for them to do that is to surround themselves with people who understand their passions and individuality, so they can finally feel free.
FAQs
Is it easy being a free spirit?
No, being a free spirit is not easy. In fact, it can be difficult because the world and society are not set up for people who are this way.
People who are free spirits often have to deal with other people who misunderstand them and oppressive situations that feel like there’s no escape.
However, it is also a lot of fun because you can do whatever you want whenever you want! It may not be easy all the time, but it’s definitely worth it.
Can a free-spirited person be in a relationship?
Yes, free-spired people can be in a relationship.
Although most free spirits struggle with commitment and getting deep connections with others, that doesn’t mean they can’t be in a relationship.
Free spirits can experience love just like anyone else if they find someone who really understands them: it may take time and patience, but it’s possible to make this kind of connection even as a free spirit.
Are free spirits happier?
It depends!
Free spirits are generally happier than people who live by strict rules and standards, but there is a danger to being free.
The biggest challenge of being free is that there are many expectations from other people. This means you have to deal with judgment and criticism without any restrictions or limits, which can be hard for some people.
So while most free spirits will tell you that they are happier because they can do what they want, it may not always be as freeing as they think!
At the end of the day, happiness comes down to each individual’s perspective. For some people who weren’t allowed to explore their passions in life, freedom might actually feel like a burden at first because all of those expectations aren’t there anymore.
For free spirits, it really just depends on what makes them happy and how much patience they have to deal with other peoples’ judgments.
Final thoughts
Free spirits are people who don’t conform to society’s expectations. They may be misunderstood and lonely because of this, but it doesn’t mean they’re wrong or something inherently wrong with them.
It just means that the world needs more free-spirited people, someone willing to go out on a limb for what they believe in instead of following the status quo.
The next time you feel isolated, remember these struggles faced by free souls and know you aren’t alone in your quest for individuality.
