How Sweet Would Life Be if We Stopped Creating So Many Rules for Ourselves?

Nearly every aspect of life is run by rules, but how many of those don’t really need to be there at all?

Sure, there are some rules that have to stay as they are. But if you really think about it, how many rules could you break and still have life go on?

There’s not a single part of the day that doesn’t revolve around rules. Rules made by you or someone else, schedules you have to stick to, things you’re responsible for- it all follows you everywhere.

Beyond the necessary rules, it’s too easy to add so many extra rules to your life, from the way you dress, the food you eat, and the way you live your life on the day-to-day. But the thing is…

Rules Shouldn’t Make Life More Complicated

When it comes to rules like how fast to drive and when to pay your rent, these are rules you really should just follow to keep life running smoothly.

Beyond that, making extra rules for yourself can just make life more complicated.

It’s like when you’ve been doing a 7-step skincare routine for months but nothing is helping your acne and one day you give up, go back to simply washing your face, and suddenly it all clears up.

People make extra rules for themselves in the pursuit of being a better person or living a better life, but sometimes, these rules just suck the life out from under you. They make you waste your days worrying and waiting instead of living, and they get you stuck in the mindset of life needing to look a certain way in order for you to be happy.

Eating food is something you simply have to do in order to be alive. Yet for some reason, the whole concept of eating food can become a wildly stressful thing. Rules about when, what, and how much you can eat make an essential part of life a stressful one too.

Rules Shouldn’t Lead to Missed Opportunities

Don’t get so set in your rules that you end up missing out on opportunities and chances to think outside of the box and find happiness where you are.

Maybe you tell yourself things like, “I can’t wear a swimsuit until I lose weight,” thinking a rule like that might motivate you to lose the weight or at least save you from the anxiety and other less-than-ideal feelings that come with wearing a swimsuit. But what really happens is you miss out on life. You miss out on opportunities to belly laugh with your friends under the warm sun and feel the smile on your face when you jump in the lake. Don’t miss out on memories and experiences because, for some reason, you think your body isn’t good enough.

Rules about when your hair should be washed and how it has to look in order for you to feel presentable lead you to miss opportunities to swim under the stars or feel the ocean as you duck under a wave.

Let go of the notion that you can’t travel until you have more money, and you just might find out why people love camping so much and how many little areas there are to explore near your home.

Let go of some rules, push outside of your comfort zone a little bit, and see how good life gets.

Don’t Get Too Caught Up in Routines Either

It is way too easy to end up stuck in the day-to-day and just drift from one day to the next. But the thing is, the days float by and become the way you lived your life on this Earth.

When you feel stuck in a schedule or routine, question what you can change and break free from it, even if it’s just little changes like eating outside, waking up a little earlier once in a while for extra time to yourself, or trying something new on a random Tuesday.

Set aside time to throw all the rules out the window, forget that your responsibilities are yours, and take life a little less seriously for a moment. Once in a while, wear clothes that don’t match and let your hair be wild and free. Make pancakes at midnight or jump in the water in your clothes. Be there to watch the stars fade into the rising sun, even though the world is asleep and you probably should be too.

You Only Have So Much Time on This Earth…

So don’t waste it away by worrying about rules you don’t even need.

Before you blindly follow a rule or routine you made for yourself, think about what it really helps and what would happen if you broke it. Would life go on?

You’ll see life from new perspectives when you take a step back from the ways of life as you know them. You only get one life, so make it a beautiful one. You deserve it.