-Are you always playing it by the rules? Wanna try something different…?

Most of our beliefs about life, our religious beliefs, our conditioned mind, and the different lifestyles we choose to define ourselves contain limitations. That is why we are never truly happy when we obey by our self-imposed set of restrictions.

As you approach a new way of living, a new relationship, a new job, a new place to live, or a better-looking body, you always feel elated by the possibilities that the shift in your reality brings for you. Your new system of thoughts is taking over for the old, outdated ones, and you feel that you are doing something valuable for your self and expanding, and of course, you are. But there comes a time in your life when you feel just done with playing by the rules, and no matter how much you try, you grow bored with the new system real fast.

In the beginning, this change may seem a little discouraging. You remember earlier in your journey when you could get really excited by your newest project, your new relationship, your new job ore that new pair of shoes! Life may seem dull to you like you have done it all and tried it all and tired of it all.. as nothing gets you there. But honestly, this is your stage of opportunity!

It’s like learning to dance or to play an instrument. When you start out you want to copycat what other people have been doing before, you try out their creations and learn the basics of your new art. It’s fun, it’s fresh, exciting and fulfilling to you, but at some point, you either resign out of boredom with the system or you become a master, someone who creates their path in their chosen art. You stop playing by the rules, and you invent new and better once that works better for you. You become part of the progress!

Becoming part of progress always entitles doing something that the world around you is not doing. If you always play by the rules, you are not part of progress, but preservation. There is nothing wrong with preservation as long as it is the things that are working that you are part of preserving, the parts that are working for you. If you preserve outdated belief systems about yourself, the world, the art that you do (and when I talk about art it can be anything. Personally, I perceive all of my life as art) you will lose interest, and this is what most people refer to as growing old and tired.

We are so used to perceiving our lives as degenerating as we grow older, that we don’t even consider how our beliefs about aging affect us. We think that our bodies become slower and more ridden by disease, that we can’t do the things we could 10, 20 or 30 years ago and when it comes to the limitations of our body that may be so, but when it comes to our spirit that is nowhere near to the truth. You don’t grow older, you grow better – but only if you allow your self too!

Yes, undeniable, there are certain limits to the body. But what if you are not the body? What if the body is just a tiny little part of who you are and what you really reside in your mind? Your creativity, your unbound thoughts?

Your body is your self-image, and it is, for sure temporary. Your soul, however, is eternal and only temporarily bound to the body and, therefore only mildly interested in it as a tool on its mission of spreading love and joy. It is good to take care of the body, but the way of caring for the body is by caring or the mind. When the mind knows itself and does not play by the insane limiting rules of the body, the body can relax and come to its perfect natural health. If the mind fights the body, it’s weight, the way it looks, it’s cravings, and it’s aging, the battle between the mind and the body becomes a constant strain on your life experience. Try giving the old body image a rest and search your mind for who you really are. Ask the question, who would I be without the limiting beliefs that I put upon myself? Most people can’t even answer this question without encountering the limitations of their mind; they find it absurd even to ask such a question or think such a talk. These are the people who still believe that they are safe within their limitations, and there is gold where you can only find gravel. The gold is inside, deep within your beautiful and expanded mind, and when you allow it to shine through, it can come out to play in your life experience through your art.

What truly inspires you? What makes you smile? Laugh? Love or even feel negative emotions, what engages you? If you are having a hard time answering this question, there may be a layer of repressed emotions that is necessary for you to feel before you access the higher level of emotions, and it is needed! Sometimes the way to happiness goes through a rough neighborhood of feeling angry, overwhelmed, jealous, and anxious. Still, unless you allow yourself to undertake that wonderful and beautiful releasing journey, you are not going to get there. The first step to awakening is acknowledging that you are an emotional being with a full specter of emotions on display, and that is beautifully and uniquely you!

I urge you to bend the rules when things become stalled. We all have inner guidance, and the place where things are getting stalled for you are when you are at the brink of mastery, at the brink of your brilliance. Try stretching your mind and play with the possibilities, don’t let your smallminded recollection of “past failure or hurts” hold you back, use them as the backdraft to your new and brilliant creation and start painting with all the colors of your life! Life is meant to be good from beginning to end. You are meant to thrive, to expand, and be uniquely you. There is no right path, no right way of living, or no rules that you got to follow. There is only you and your expansion!

You don’t need to get divorced, jump out of a plan, or climb the highest wall; you only need to expand your mind to the possibilities that surround you to find your thriving. Maybe for you, it’s buying a new dress, or having your nails painted in a beautiful color, taking that dance class or going on your dream vacation. It’s you, your experience, and what makes your emotions and inspiration flow freely. You are free, you are unique, you are beautiful, and you are worthy of bending the rules!

Sincerely wit love,

Ingunn Tennbakk

Photo by Marc A. Sporys on Unsplash