The Art Of Breaking The Rules

It was simple really.  One day I decided to stop making assumptions, test my ideas and thoughts and follow through to see what happens next.

You might wonder why I wanted to do so something with such risk attached. It occured to me it was time to stop playing life safe.

Why?

In a word, boredom.

I was bored by the way things were adding up in life's column of achievements, accomplishments and to-do's.  Ya, I did the expected thing; educated myself, graduated, travelled, married, bought a house, had a child, integrated myself into corporate Canada, then waited.  For what, I don't really know.  All I did know was time was speeding up fast and I was drifting.

My first real foray into breaking my #1 rule  - 'be a good girl', was during my time in France.

It was THE day to visit the Eiffel Tower as per my itinerary.  This was a long-awaited dream come true and I was ready to soak up the memory of this moment.

Upon arrival it didn't take long to notice the throngs of visitors crowding all points of this majestic icon.  The queue to ride the elevator to the top seemed to go all the way back to Canada.  I decisively opted out of seeing Paris from on high and decided on a picnic in the shadow of la tour Eiffel instead.

I purchased a bottle of Heineken and a pain au chocolat and preceded to look for just the right spot to savour my momentous moment.  After a long search, I found the perfect place.  It was located on one side of the tower and unfortunately was sectioned off with a low fence with signage in French warning everyone to stay off the grass.

I looked everywhere and could not find another suitable place to hold my once-in-a-lifetime picnic.  I went back to the restricted spot and made a risky decision, come hell or high water, I was crossing that barrier.

My heart beat loudly but I didn't care.  In my mind, the consequences were worth the risk.  After-all, would I really be thrown into the Bastille?  

I crossed over, found a spot and had my time in the shadow of the tower, blissfully enjoying both beer and croissant as if there was no tomorrow.

Then things got interesting.

People began crossing the barrier to set up their own picnics.  At one point, security arrived, took one look at the situation and decided it wasn't worth the hassle of moving us along.

By the time I finished and moved on, my once barred picnic area was crowded with masses of lounging bodies. I smiled, crossed back over the barrier and continued into a glorious afternoon.

What rules do you continue to live under that keeps you from experiencing your dreams?

 Please know I'm not advocating breaking the rules and laws of the land.  I'm referring to the personal rules that keep you small, stuck and afraid.

It's time to take a look at them in the harsh light of day to see if they serve you and if not, consider replacing them with those that will encourage you to spiral up to new heights, moments and experiences. 

How do you know your personal rules are ineffective? 

You'll experience boredom and feel as if life is passing you by.  It's time to energize your game plan.  Do something different and exciting, say something unique and dangerous, lead a new movement, do something that shatters your comfort zone. Just do something. 

You can choose to be remarkable or you can be mediocre.  You can tickle people's fancy or shatter the status quo.  You can infuriate or be passively dismissed.  One will make you average and forgettable the other will make you shine, shine, shine.

  There is only caveat,  you have to choose.

Perhaps it's time to break a rule or two or three. You have a life, you've got a voice and the power, use them.

Start risking something extraordinary today.