Exploring Life Beyond the Lines of Convention

Nowadays, there are numerous expectations to meet. You need to be politically correct, appear happy in public, drive the finest car, live in an impressive home, and ensure that others envy your seemingly perfect life. Striving for perfection isn't easy; it's a stressful endeavor to constantly push yourself to attain such high levels of admiration from others.

What if we altered the story for everyone and began living truly authentic lives, stepping outside the boundaries and expectations that society has set as the ideal? What if our lives weren't perfect, and we didn't have the responsibility to ensure everyone else's happiness? How often do you fake a smile when asked how you are doing, responding with "I'm great" or "I'm doing well"? Why do we constantly push ourselves beyond our comfort zones just to please those around us?

We have become a nation reliant on prescription antidepressants and anxiety medication because we've confined ourselves to such rigid boundaries that we've lost the joy of living beyond them. The joy of simply living a life we desire and can be content with has been overshadowed by an endless pursuit of more. When will we finally pause, reassess, and declare that enough is enough?

Grab those crayons and start coloring outside the lines. Wear the dress that genuinely makes you smile, and live in a home that fills you with joy and happiness, not a cookie-cutter HOA nightmare. Don't force yourself to drink an IPA you dislike just to appear trendy in front of others who might be pretending too; enjoy your cold Coors Light if that's what you truly like. Stop staying inside the lines and embrace the freedom to color and live beyond them more often.