One Positive Action

Break a rule (safely!):

Most of us spend our days following a long list of spoken and unspoken rules, stand in line, say the right things, don’t make a scene. And sure, most of those rules exist for good reason. But every now and then, it’s good to remind yourself that not all rules are set in stone. A little harmless rebellion can shake you out of routine and remind you that you have more freedom than you think.

I’m not condoning widespread civil disobedience or anything, it can be something as simple as eating dessert for breakfast. Wearing something completely out of character just because you feel like it. Take the scenic route instead of the fastest one. Sit somewhere unexpected in a place you always go. Do something that makes you feel just a little defiant in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone. You’re just stepping outside the lines you’ve drawn for yourself and realizing the world doesn’t fall apart when you do.

Sometimes, breaking a small rule can remind you that you don’t have to take life so seriously. You get to choose how you move through the world. You don’t have to do things the way you always have, just because that’s what’s expected. A little harmless rebellion is a way to shake yourself awake, to inject a little unpredictability into the day. I bet you might even have fun.

So pick something small and bend the rules a bit. Make an unnecessary U-turn (where it's legal). Draw a smiley face in the margin of a book. Stay up way too late watching a movie, just because. Let yourself do something pointless and rebellious and joyful. The world will keep spinning, and you might feel a little more alive.