Contributor: Donna Marie
The big story of the winter so far has been weather. In the northeast, there have been no less than four winter storms, which is debilitating enough. Yet this was taken to a whole new level as New York/New Jersey readied itself to host one of the premier events of the year, Super Bowl XLVIII. This was going to be the first outdoor Super Bowl game in decades. The weather predictions were dire – over 12″ of snow and record lows at game time. The contingency plans were being floated – the game might need to be played earlier or later.
The financial risk was steep as lucrative Super Bowl activities might need to be cancelled. All of which would lead to the National Football League being the architect of, what many reporters and sports fans described, the disaster of the century! In the end, the weather was glorious for football and the event was a tremendous success!
The Imagined Truth™ of Future Disasters
The entire 2014 Super Bowl episode made me think of how our minds create what we call Imagined Truths™ about the future. These aren’t just casual worries—they’re deeply held beliefs that future events will inevitably lead to disaster, disappointment, or proof that “things never work out for me.” Sound familiar?
This pattern of catastrophic thinking robs us of our Liberty—our power to choose our response in the present moment. When we’re mentally living in imagined future disasters, we lose access to the Love and Happiness available right now. We become prisoners of scenarios that exist only in our minds.
Have you ever experienced this? I certainly have.
Choosing the Freedom Zone in Real Time
This past weekend was such a time.
As my trip to Florida was materializing, the weatherman entered with predictions of a crippling ice storm on the day of my trip. My immediate reaction: “What would I do if weather derailed my plan?” I was really looking forward to this trip. The first action was taken by the airline—they cancelled my flight and rescheduled me for a later departure. Then came the reports about airport closures and extensive cancellations.
Here’s where I had a choice: I could enter what I now recognize as my Imagined Truth™ zone—that place where disappointment is inevitable and I’m powerless against circumstances. Or I could stay in my Freedom Zone—that space where I have access to Love, Liberty, and Happiness regardless of external conditions.
As worry thoughts began to enter, I chose to remain present. With this present mindset, I didn’t go to the familiar places: “Oh no, my trip will be cancelled!” or “Why is this happening? I really want to get away from the cold weather.” Instead, I reminded myself that my travel plan was intact and, if necessary, I could travel a day later. I was free of worry and upset and didn’t start anticipating how disappointed I would be.
This is what Freedom looks like in action: not the absence of challenging circumstances, but the presence of choice in how we relate to them.
On the day of my flight, I got to the airport without a problem and my plane took off close to on time!
The Present Moment | Your Gateway to Freedom
The big picture reveals a profound truth: while it’s wise to have practical options in the event of challenges, living in the present provides immediate access to Freedom around circumstances—even events like weather, which are entirely out of our control.
When we’re truly present, we discover something remarkable: most of our suffering comes not from what’s actually happening, but from our Imagined Truths™ about what might happen. The present moment is where your power lives. It’s where you can choose Love over fear, Liberty over mental imprisonment, and Happiness over anticipatory anxiety.
Things might not always work out as smoothly as Super Bowl XLVIII or my Florida trip, but along the way, presence makes all the difference between experiencing life as a series of crises or as an adventure in conscious choice-making.
Your Freedom Zone Investigation
What are you worried about right now? What has captured the focus of your attention?
Consider these Freedom Zone inquiry questions:
- Is this worry about something happening now, or something that might happen?
- What Imagined Truth™ am I believing about this situation?
- If I knew everything would work out perfectly, how would I show up differently right now?
- Where in my body am I holding tension about future scenarios?
- What would Love do in this situation? What would Liberty choose? How would Happiness respond?
Your Freedom Zone Toolkit: From Worry to Presence
🔓 The Recognition: Most anxiety lives in imagined futures, not present reality.
🔓 The Choice: Every moment offers the opportunity to return to presence and reclaim your power.
🔓 The Practice: Notice when your mind creates disaster scenarios, then gently redirect attention to what’s actually true right now.
🔓 The Freedom: In the present moment, you always have access to Love, Liberty, and Happiness—regardless of circumstances.
Your Turn
Consider looking at your current worry from a “present” perspective and be sure to let us know how this impacts your experience of the situation. When you shift from future-focused fear to present-moment awareness, what becomes possible?
That experience is true Freedom!