Psychological liberation is the concept of finding inner freedom, even if one is not socially or economically powerful enough to change their circumstances. It acknowledges that all individuals face impossible demands from the world to some extent. However, psychological liberation means refusing to internally collaborate with these demands and instead recognizing that certain combinations of pressures and demands are unrealistic. It involves understanding that while one may still need to decide where to focus their energy, they do not need to bear the burden of figuring out how to accomplish an impossible quantity of tasks. This liberation lies in rejecting the belief that everything is solely dependent on oneself and accepting the limitations of certain demands.
In this episode of Remotely Curious, we talk to best-selling author Oliver Burkeman about how to reset our relationship to time, how to meet demands without colluding with them, and how to keep perspective by focusing on what’s most meaningful to you.