How does One become Free?

How does one become free? When we are free with-in, are we not free with-out? So how do we free our inner self? The mind is a funny thing. It thinks, it analyzes, it judges, it speculates, and it comes to conclusions. We formulate ideas, concepts, and beliefs in order to feel safe and secure with our self and the world. Seeking security within our mind makes us feel better dealing with uncertainty. But can a mind filled with conclusions ever be free? A mind full of pre-conceptions does not have the ability to investigate new ideas with a fresh uninfluenced mind. When we hold onto anything ,we are in-security and we will always be on the defense because we don't want to be unsure. Freedom requires us to let go completely. It is only when we surrender and let go that we can see things for what they really are, and it is only then that we can discover new things with an empty open mind. Let me give you an example. If I tell myself "I am a loveable person" and I believe it wholeheartedly, that is fine. Then one day a friend gets mad at me and tells me how much they hate me, which sends me into a manic depressive state. Why? I feel like a part of my world has fallen apart because I firmly believed that I was a lovable person. When my belief shattered, then I am left in the unknown once again. The problem in this example lies solely on what my belief was about myself. There is nothing wrong with believing in something, but understand that when you hold onto a belief, freedom becomes an idea and not an experience.