If you want to live a happy life, stop towing the line.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Part 1 Do You Think for Yourself? introduced you to the unwritten rules of society and suggested that you probably follow them without realizing it. Towing the line gives you the illusion of a happy life but deep down you feel robbed.

“The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself.”

~~ Rita Mae Brown (American Writer b. 1944)

This article is a little different to my others in that while it tells you how to become greater, it also delivers to  you the stark reality of towing the line i.e. the downsides… and it is a downward spiral. By reading it I am hoping you will be motivated to take action, to step forward and courageously push aside those rules. To be free to live the happy life of your choosing.

The Hazards of Towing the Line …The 10 Steps to Hitting Rock Bottom in Your Life

Do you recognize this pattern, this downward spiral? (Some parts may seem tinged with sarcasm – that is not the intention. It is however the truth.)

1. At first, you’ll feel honorable. Initially, this is what you feel by conforming. It’s your (short-term) reward for doing so.
2. Then you’ll feel accepted as people appear to warm to you and praise you for being such a good person. Praise is a deep need for most people and it makes you believe you’re an essential part of the group, the tribe.
3. You’ll feel safe, loved and secure because you think the tribe will protect you. You consider yourself to be doing the ‘right thing’ since you’ve made a good impression. Note: Unbeknownst to you, this is the last time you will feel good. At this point you start on the never-ending downward cycle.
   
4. It starts to dawn on you that the love and protection you receive is conditional and to keep it you must keep following the rules – you must keep towing the line. Fact: the love and protection are conditional; you subconsciously know this and that there are consequences if you stray. This is where my book Just Like That! comes in. It explains that while there are certainly consequences if you stop towing the line, they pass quickly if you know how to handle them. The rewards for you on the other side are magic and they’re what life is truly about. If you don’t have the knowledge in my book then…
5. Your dreams and goals must remain suppressed, as you now serve others.
6. You’ll start feeling bored, frustrated and depressed but you won’t know why.
7. It seems you have the ‘perfect life’, but you’ll start questioning the meaning of it all.
8. You’ll start to begrudge putting other people first, but you’ll feel guilty unless you do. (You ought to put yourself first.)
9. You’ll feel ashamed and ungrateful that you’d rather do something for yourself. (You ought to do something for yourself.)
10. You’ll feel discouraged and confused – you want to break free and think for yourself, but you fear the repercussions; the loss of acceptance, approval, safety and love. (You have no fear once you have the appropriate knowledge.)

And that is the way you stay, unless you break free from towing the line. Good luck with finding fulfillment, confidence, happiness and what you want on that path.

If on the Other Hand You Want to Live a Happy Life and Reclaim Your Enthusiasm

Once you ditch the rules you’ll find more love, approval and confidence than you ever believed possible. The unexpected reason is explained in my book. As you can see from the above list, society’s rules keep you in a virtual prison. All areas of your life have these rules and they need to be pointed out so you can knowingly push them aside and get what you want from your life every day. You will be amazed at how often they appear in your life.

How to Get Anything You Want – Just Like That! shows you how to:

– Live a happy life filled with confidence by being aware of and overcoming society’s rules
– Gain the courage and know-how to exercise your free will for a happy life

Knowledge is the first step to freedom.

“Conformity is that jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”

~~John F. Kennedy

If You Want a Happy Life Allow Yourself to Ponder This Information

If this information throws you into even more confusion, allow it to sit with you for a few days and in that time become more aware of what’s happening in your life. Do you truly feel free to do what you want? There is a theory out there that even when we are shown the truth, we shun it in favor of old ways of thinking. At least allow yourself to seriously ponder what is being said without judgment or fear.

Note: Western culture is my main focus in this article, where we usually conform without realizing it or needing to. Some cultures are harder to break free from than others. If yours is especially difficult, never give up trying to find a way, but always carefully consider your personal safety.

“A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates when he becomes a conformist.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

So Remember…

There is a sense of safety, a warmth, a fuzziness when you follow society’s rules. But for several reasons it is a false and wafer-thin security (reasons again found in my book). Bottom line this noble effort suppresses you and robs you of your happy life. To turn this around you must ditch all that and courageously blaze your own trail. You’ll start getting what you want.

Read:
Part 1 – Do You Think for Yourself? Here’s How to Start

Why Mainstream Thinking Gives You Mainstream Results

Do you want confidence, to be proud of yourself and also have a happy life? Learn how in How to Get Anything You Want – Just Like That! The book breaks with the traditions of today and reveals the hidden truth of ancient wisdom. You are precious, remarkable and worthy of having anything you want. Everyone is.

Photo Source: Author’s own.