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.
