Have you ever wondered why you “follow the rules?” Does the idea of breaking the rules make you shudder?
I get it. And yet . . . I don’t.
You see, years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and was presented with different options for treatment. When my doctor recommended a certain treatment, he also told me about the potential pitfalls about said treatment. I didn’t like the options he wanted for me and I knew those same options wouldn’t be the answer for me.
So, I “broke the rules.”
I made the decision to go with the treatment my doctor recommended the least. Now, does that mean things went perfectly? No! I needed numerous rounds of the treatment and my cancer came back several times. And this is not even the end of the story.
At the time, my reasoning was solid about why I did not want to take his recommendation.
As it turns out, going through with his option may have exacerbated another condition (one I did not know about at the time) and could have shortened my life. It scares me to think that had I just gone along with what my doctor said instead of listening to my own inner wisdom, things could be very different right now.
The moral to this story – trust your instincts about what you believe is effective for you, even if it means “breaking the rules.”
It is ok to give yourself permission to stand up and say “no” to some things and “yes” to others.
Start small. Start here:
1. What rules are you currently following and why? Spend time weighing out what you believe versus what others are telling you.
2. Make sure you can explain to yourself why you are making the choices you are making.
3. Don’t waste time telling other people -- show them your skills.
4. Help other people also live their truth.
5. There are consequences (both positive and negative) to following and breaking the rules. Make sure you know what they are.
Live your truth!