Unconsciously we all have our own rules; I don’t mean laws of the land or even universal laws, but rules about how we react to any given situation … a kind of moral code if you will. What some fail to realise is that everyone else also has their own unique sets of rules, based on their mind set, emotional state, upbringing and social conditioning. When these don’t dove-tail with your own beliefs and personal programming then people are perceived as having acted irrationally or out of character.
Many people are unaware that it is these rules which we doggedly live our lives by aren’t always our own but are often ones we have inherited from our parents, family or maybe the result of peer pressure from when we were growing up.
Remember when you were a teenager and those with stronger personalities than yours determined that if you wanted to be in their gang then you would act and dress the same as them?
You would hang out in the same places, listen to the same music and become almost clones of one another. These rules were often put in place by appealing to your inferiority complexes, that desperate need to fit in.
Some people also get stuck in a rut, saying “Well we always do this” or “This how our family have also done that” or even “We have egg and chips every Thursday” or “We go to Spain every year”, or the biggie “What would people think if we did that!!!”
I actually grew up with that last statement ringing in my ears; my parents despaired of my unique and quirky way of looking at the world. Thankfully although they don’t really understand me, they have always supported my offbeat choices … eventually!
Some of this conditioning is down to helpful daily routines to ensure we get everything done we need to, but others can be more damaging causing us to miss out on opportunities or to unconsciously self sabotage our best efforts at getting ahead.
The parent, who never achieved anything, makes their child believe that they could never better themselves as this would make them feel inferior to their child, and conversely the parent who failed at their chosen career pushes their child to live out their dreams.
Do you recognise yourself in any of these? Are the rules and regulations you have set for yourself really your rules?
We never tire of telling people to question everything they encounter spiritually but maybe the one we really need to question is ourselves.
Do we impose limits on our abilities? Do we say “Oh I could never do that” without ever even trying?
By stepping to one side and questioning ourselves and asking “What do I really believe?” and “Who am I really?” will we ever get the most out of our lives and reach our full potential.
So the next time a new opportunity throws itself into your path no matter how outrageous it may seem shift your perception … really think about it before you say “No I couldn’t possibly do that!”
Is it right for those ‘well meaning’ people to hold so much power over you and your life? What would you do differently today if you weren’t afraid? What would you attempt if you knew that you would never be judged for making new choices?
Today challenge yourself, ask these questions and more, take some time to dig deep and get to know the real you!