Way of The Free

A community of people who left environments were they didn’t feel like they belonged, and are now creating a life on their own terms.

Whether it's family, culture, religion, a career, or a country, you left an environment that didn’t feel right.

Not necessarily because it was objectively bad, but because it didn’t fit you.

The conversations felt unstimulating, the expectations felt limiting. The way life was “supposed” to look didn’t make you excited at all, to say the least.

So you stepped away, maybe physically, maybe emotionally, maybe both. And since then, you’ve been figuring things out on your own.

That doesn’t have to be the case anymore.

### If you’re someone who…

• Thinks a lot, questions a lot, and rarely just accepts things at face value
• Notices how the majority of people live and quietly thinks, this isn’t it for me
• Has ideas about a different kind of life, even if you can’t fully articulate it yet
• Values freedom, depth, and peace of mind more than status or doing what’s expected
• Enjoys meaningful conversations, but often finds yourself in spaces where things stay surface level
• Is constantly reflecting, adjusting, and trying to understand yourself better
• Loves challenging yourself and your beliefs

### And you’re looking to be part of a community where…

• You can speak freely, without having to translate or tone yourself down
• Conversations go beyond small talk and into something real
• You are not met with judgment, but with understanding and respect
• You can think out loud, explore ideas, and hear different perspectives without the pressure of choosing one
• The focus isn’t on staying stuck, but on moving forward

### A space where people are not perfect, but are willing to question, grow, and take responsibility for their life.

Hey, I’m Annabelle.

I grew up in a conservative environment where it was made clear to me early on that women didn’t have the same freedom as men, and that there was a very fixed way of doing life.

Even before I had the language for it, something about it didn’t sit right with me.

At some point, when it came time to make decisions about my life, I couldn’t ignore how restrictive it felt. And I realized I had to choose between staying in that environment or choosing myself.

So I left.

After graduating from university, I moved to Germany on my own and started over. It wasn’t easy—figuring out a new country, the bureaucracy, building a life from scratch—but I did it because I knew I wanted a life that felt like mine.

And for a moment, it looked like freedom.

But I noticed something I didn’t expect: Even though everything around me had changed, I still didn’t feel free.

The beliefs I grew up with didn’t disappear just because I moved. I still found myself constrained by beauty standards, body image, work culture, and the way life is “supposed” to look. While externally I had changed everything, internally, I was still carrying the same limits. Because of that, I still didn’t fully feel like I belonged anywhere.

I started to realize that I had a way of seeing life that didn’t always match the world around me. I would catch myself constantly questioning things—what I should look like, how I should live, what success is supposed to be.

At some point, I made a decision: I would rather live in alignment with myself, even if it meant feeling lonely at times, than keep trying to fit into something that didn’t feel true.

So I started doing the inner work. I challenged the beliefs I grew up with. I worked on my mindset. I started rebuilding confidence in who I am, without trying to conform.

Slowly I let go of the believes and stories that weren’t mine to carry, and started surrounding myself with people who saw life in a similar way.

Through it all, I realized that you can change your environment and still feel stuck if nothing changes internally. Real freedom isn’t just about where you are—it’s about how you relate to yourself and the world around you.

I created this community for two reasons:

1. I wanted to be around people who think differently from the norm, question things deeply, and are actively choosing a life that feels true to them—and to create that kind of space for others as well.
2. I know how much it matters to have the right kind of conversation when you’re figuring things out, not advice being thrown at you, not surface-level talk, but real perspective that helps you see things differently and move forward.

What does it look like in practice?

• Weekly check-in calls where I guide the conversation as we share what’s going on, what we’re navigating, and what we’re noticing in our lives
• Weekly hot seat where one or two people bring something they’re navigating, and I guide them through it in real time—helping them shift perspective, see new angles, and identify next steps, with input from the group
• Monthly book club. Each month we read a book and meet at the end of the month to discuss takeaways, key ideas, and favorite parts
• Chat for people to connect between calls

This is not for you if:

• You’re thinking about making a change but not yet ready to act on it
• You’re not willing to take responsibility for your life and are still focused on blaming others
• You’re looking for a space to vent without moving forward
• You are currently in a place where you need clinical mental health support rather than a reflective group space
• You’re not able to show up for the calls or engage in the community in any meaningful way
• You’re not ready to challenge yourself or look inward when needed

To learn more and to join us, visit this page.