R for Rebellious

What do you think of when you hear the word rebellious? I think of teenagers trying to declare independence from the authority figures in their lives. And the definition of rebellious lends itself to that: defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.

The truth is everyone has a little bit of a rebellious streak. How many times have you challenged those in authority in your life, whether it was successful or not? How many times have we wanted to do something completely out of the norm or us, just wanted to break free from our ordinary lives? I know that I've felt that urge many times.

Himself felt that need. He's now a part owner of a business that is starting to take off. They struggled for a few years but they finally found their niche market. Himself rebelled against the idea of a boss/worker relationship and instead went his own way. He found a new place where he could be happy after that bit of rebellion.

Then there's me. I felt safe in my life as an employee in a large company. It was stressful but ultimately it was what I thought I wanted. Then something changed and I was no longer able to work there. I wasn't able to work a regular job anymore at all. I resigned myself to living the rest of my life dependent on someone else for income. I didn't want that. I wanted something else. So I rebelled against my expectations. I found some work as a freelancer. It isn't much now but it will open up more opportunities for me as I go forward.

Sometimes a little rebellion is good. It shakes us out of our complacency and gives us the idea that there's something more out there. Consider the risks you're taking though. Are they worth it? What will you lose by taking those risks?

We still had a rather large and steady income when Himself lost his regular job. It took six months of fruitless job searches for him to join his friends in starting their business. Remember what I said about finding their niche market? It's taken three years of little to no income. Remember what I said about me? Right now we're scraping by, living month to month with no money to spare. But we've both found ways to change our situations by challenging what those in authority have dictated we must do with our lives.

A little controlled rebellion can be very beneficial, if it's planned out. I know it sounds like a strange thing. A planned, controlled rebellion. Take time to look at it from all sides and figure out if the risks outweigh the gains or not. If you can honestly say that you stand to gain more than you lose, test the waters. Take a chance. You never know what can happen.