Summer Activity: Break Free of Imaginary Restrictions | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Summer Activity: Break Free of Imaginary Restrictions

Since the normal summer itinerary has been thrown out the window, it's important we improvise

45
Summer Activity: Break Free of Imaginary Restrictions

It's a hot day, you've spent all afternoon doing yard work with the sun beating down on you as you scoop shovel after shovel after shovel of mulch into a wheelbarrow, bring it from flowerbed to flowerbed, and spread it. By the time you reach the last flowerbed your body has accumulated dirt, sweat, and an itchy feeling. You look forward to showering, getting clean, and cooling off. You finish up while a herd of gray clouds rolls in and unleash a downpour. You decide to try something different: stand out in the rain and enjoy it, letting go of your aversion to getting wet. You even decide to do something really unusual, you lay on the ground and make a water angel.

We all go through life with imaginary rules-- that is to say, ideas we have in our head of a certain way things are, why they are that way, and why they must be that way. However, they're only that, ideas in our head--- fantasies, fabrications, stories we tell ourselves, rather than objective, tangible, actual laws with a punishment for violation. The only punishments for these rules are the punishments we create.

For example, typically when it rains and I am outside I follow the rule of "spend as little time in the rain as possible to stay dry," but what if I let go of staying dry? What if I don't mind getting a little wet? What if I even want to? Avoiding the rain yields no gain, leaving me free to embrace and find enjoyment in what is normally an uncomfortable situation.

By becoming comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable, the realm of experiences I am capable of having is blown wide open and I'm free to hang out with the rain and have fun in it. I was gonna shower anyways, why not cool off before I even go inside?

However, before one can break these imaginary rules, there is one rule that must first be broken to get there, that is the rule that "the opinion and approval of others is important to me." The act of letting commonly held ideas go results in the disapproval of others, as your actions become a spit in the face to the norms that they embrace day in and out. As I stood in the rain my parents looked at me like I had 5 heads. It's surely an unusual thing, I mean, willingly standing out in the rain, let alone enjoying it????? It's a violation, it's not normal!!!! And that's exactly what makes it fun.

Think all the times you've acted as though you would melt if a certain amount of rain hit you. It makes every drop feel like acid weighing you down and melting away. The second you choose to accept and embrace the rain, it's no different than a shower, except you're outside and amused by those taking it so seriously as to act like staying dry is a "rule". As Alan Watts said "Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun".

Try it on, find an imaginary or socially constructed rule that feels like second nature, and see what happens when you choose to let it go. Doing so allows you to be with and live in the world as it is, rather than how it "should be lived in."

Other imaginary rules include...

Don't sit in grass because you will get dirty.

Don't let your dog lick your face because it's gross.

Don't sing for your own enjoyment if people are around.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

790
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

497
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199521
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20478
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments