Small Reflections 05
Too many rules.
“Make your rules of life brief, yet so as to embrace the fundamentals…” ~ Marcus Aurelius
You have created rules that govern how you perceive, and in some cases respond to, just about everything in your life.
You have rules that determine when you allow yourself to be happy,
Or proud,
Or to simply relax,
Even when to show love.
They generally operate without your conscious awareness and yet they are running your life.
Yes, it is very possible you chose your relationships and even your career based on these rules.
But where did these rules come from?
You really need to know the answer to that question.
Did you actually choose them or were they handed to you?
Did you simply adopt the rules of your tribe, society, family, peers, religion, parents…
Have you ever examined your rules? Are they working? Are they really aligned with your values, your dreams, your image of who you want to be in this world?
If not, do that.
If you aren’t sure how to figure out your rules, look for what triggers negative emotions, and notice the labels you apply to situations and other people.
How many rules do you have?
This is a hard one.
It’s possible you have created far too many rules for your life.
So many that you can’t even remember what they are.
These rules are leading you to judge yourself constantly and to analyze everything you do and everything everyone else does.
They might be making you miserable and, if so, are they really helpful?
Are they protecting you or hurting you?
Maybe you only need a few very important life rules.
You might find it easier to be happy, to love, to relax, to create, and to laugh.
Your rules impact the people around you.
It is important to realize that they have rules too. And those rules may be very different than yours.
When you try to force your rules on others or when you feel threatened about the fact that they don’t understand or perhaps respect your rules, you are much more likely to find yourself in a constant state of tension.
This goes back to how many rules you have and which rules are really important.
If you have only a few very important rules and can be flexible about the rest of your, let's call them guidelines, the world will be much easier to navigate.
A series of short writings about our inner world which is inevitably reflected in our outer world, including how we present ourselves in our work. Maybe these simple thoughts will help you live your best intentions today.
