We often think it’s necessary to follow rules and adhere to the status quo. When you look at life generally, we tend to fall in one of two camps: there are those that follow the rules and conform, and there are those that don’t (you naughty rebels, you!).
If we look closely at rules, it’s clear to see that not all are created equally. Sometimes we create our own rules, sometimes we are following those created by others. Some rules are quite rigid and controlling, whereas others can have a bit of a grey area, be open to ‘interpretation’ and have some flex in them.
As children we happily followed rules. They gave us boundaries and taught us not to flip the Monopoly board when we were losing a game. As we grow older, we become less afraid to bend the rules, but what if we challenged ourselves to break the rules once in a while? Doing so could open up possibilities we never knew existed and may even bring something positive to our lives.
We aren’t talking about doing something crazy or dangerous. We can’t break rules just because we don’t like them and hang the consequences. But sometimes there are rules, often self-imposed ones, that are just limiting us. Can we be happier if we break a rule or two? Maybe you are craving that feeling of liberation? As the saying goes, you have to break the rules to start a fire.
If you fancy trying a bit of self-liberation, ask yourself how the rules in your life may be holding you back. Are they preventing you from being creative, taking risks or growing as an individual? Perhaps you’ve been stuck in a rut of going through the same motions every day and need a shake up.
Breaking the rules doesn’t mean having to do something outrageous – even something small and unexpected can have the same effect. For instance, instead of taking the normal route to work, you could try a different route. Instead of watching the same old movies at the weekend, go to the cinema and see something you’d never usually go for.
Breaking the rules gives us the opportunity to expand our horizons and experience something new. It can challenge us to explore and grow. It can take us out of our comfort zone, encouraging us to use our own judgement and trust our instincts. It also forces us to rely on ourselves, learning new skills and ways of thinking.
Breaking the rules can be a little intimidating. But it can also be exhilarating. Just be careful, be mindful and make sure that fire is worth starting in the first place.
SJB
So Just Be 