The Healthy Rebel
I wrote this kneeling on the floor in the kids section of the Kaikoura library.
There were no kids there so I figured I would get away with it. I prefer to sit on the floor rather than chairs wherever possible. I find it's more comfortable for my spine and hips. Also, the kids section has lots of comfy pillows to get in a great seated position....why do 'adults sections' often have boring table and chairs anyway?
These norms, or social norms, are worth questioning. In many areas of our lives.
Over the past 8 years I’ve been on a path of seeking a healthier happier way of living. You could say, I’ve been seeking truths about life - truths of how to live a good life. Because what I was told was true, didn’t work for me. In fact it made me very unwell. I’ve found some truths that have enabled me to live by my own true core values (and turns out they are universal truths supprted by the yoga wisdom and the science) - which has lead to an immensely meaningful life as a yoga teacher, and wellbeing advocate.
This has meant going against the grain of society to a large degree.
For me, breaking my own rules and branching out of the expected norm was a key part of this. I would say being a little rebellious has even enhanced my general wellbeing. I don't mean go out and break the law to draw attention to yourself. I mean challenge your norms a little. As long its not harming any one, or taking advantage of anyone, I say go for it.
Here are three 3 tips that have helped me be rebellious for the benefit of my mental, physical and emotional health.
1. Notice how you are being conditioned
If like me, you have been brought up with a fair amount of structure in your life, it's great to take notice of how this may have framed your current circumstances. Kind of look down on your life, and challenge all the systems that have brought you to this point.
For example, school life, family life, the media (including social media) and work life all have little quirks and expectations that we unconsciously mold to, to fit into. Sometimes we don't even know it's happening to us. We might believe that to be successful we need to find a good job on 'Seek', we need to dress a certain way, or we think we must find a significant other to be 'complete'. This gradual and consistent conditioning over time can lead to us finding ourselves in a current situation that seems unfulfilling.
Simply starting to take note of the past conditioning is a significant step in upgrading your general well-being. Don't wait till you have that midlife crisis. Start reflecting and noticing now how your current life circumstances may have eventuated through other sources - sources outside of your own real authentic intentions.
From here we have immense power to heal, have gratitude for what our past circumstances have brought us, and then more consciously carve out meaningful activities can lead to a more purposeful fulfilling life.
2. Do things out of YOUR norm
Take actions that stretch your norm a little. You might never know how intensely rewarding that feeling at the top of the hill climb might be if you don't ditch all your mundane Sunday afternoon chores to do what you never thought could be achieved.
Go take yourself, on your own, to a cafe. Even though you might feel like a loner and it seems like everyone else is in their cosy little couple scenarios. I find, that going to a cafe on my own is a great way to engage the service staff, find out something new about a new area, or even just notice the fascinating interaction of the funny human species around you.
Of course everyone has a different way of being rebellious. For you being rebellious might be trying a new salad recipe even though you're only 40% sure it'll work out.
It doesn't have to be extreme. You don't have to ditch the office life to live in a van and reinvent yourself as a yoga teacher like me (…although I highly recommend a ‘life pause’...even for a few months). The accumulation of finding mini rules to bend from time to time is likely to lead to splashes of joy, some thrill, and even help you become fitter and healthier.
3. Rest even though you shouldn't
I know, it seems lazy to talk about. The idea of rest in the western culture is often followed by 'where can I find time to rest.' I often felt a sense of feeling guilty for taking time to have an afternoon rest to recharge. We have crammed our lives with so much 'busy-ness' it seems impossible or lazy to rest.
Arriana Huffington in her book 'Thrive' talks of how our relentless pursuit of money and power has lead to burnout and stress related illnesses, an erosion in the quality of our relationships, family life, and ironically our career. In NZ we have issues with mental health, stress, and burnout calling for a need to rethink our culture our work place and our lives and what being successful really is.
We need to be rebellious with how we rest. It's got to that point where we need to tell those around us, and we may let people down, but, we must boldly carve out 1 hour in our day for ourselves to simply, rest. This means real rest, not flicking through social media or glaring at the TV.
Go and lie down, listen to some music, feel your body relax and make an intention to calm your mind by noticing your breath. If we don't, we lurch for chocolate, for booze, or take out our scratchy emotions on those around us. Simply because we need more rest.
Be a rebel. Just a little bit of a rebel. What have you got to loose? Whats the worst that can happen? If there's a chance it might add some nourishing value to your daily life, why not push the boundaries?
*This blog was first published in September 2020.
Jo Jarden is a personal trainer and yoga teacher and the founder of Heart and Mind Yoga in Central Christchurch. With 10 years experience in health promotion, she now helps people one on one with their wellbeing. Services include yoga and personal training, workplace yoga, wellbeing coaching, workshops and retreats.
Learn more about being relliously healthy at one of the upcoming unique offerings by Jo Jarden:
One-day Yoga Retreat at Heart and Mind Yoga, 21 Bealey Ave Christchurch. $155 for the full day retreat, includes lunch. No yoga experience required. (Click the image to learn more)
2. Beginners Yoga Course: Learn the foundations of yoga with Jo Jarden your certified yoga teacher. $137
3. The 2 Hour Deep Restore Sunday 14th August $35, no yoga experience required
