coloring outside the lines like a non-conformist

From the moment I could form a coherent thought, I felt the itch to break rules. Born into a strict Catholic household, where every move seemed shadowed by the specter of sin, I quickly learned that coloring outside the lines was my most vibrant form of rebellion. 

The rigidity of my upbringing was a breeding ground for my rebellious soul, one that craved freedom and the expansive realms of inner authenticity.

Catholicism for me was a boot camp in the art of repression. Every Sunday was a stern reminder that my natural inclinations were somehow inherently wrong. But I wasn’t buying it. The more I was told to conform, the more I felt an insatiable need to push back. 

Years later, who would have thought that the ancient sages Lao Tzu and Confucius,  would become my unlikely guides to upending this narrative.

Lao Tzu, with his cryptic verses in the “Tao Te Ching,” exhorted me to flow with life as opposed to fighting it. "When you let go of who you are, you might become what you were destined to be,” he seemed to be whispering to me through the ages. 

It’s here where I realized that true rebellion wasn’t just about breaking rules but transcending them. Lao Tzu's philosophy of non-action, or “wu wei,” became my mantra. Instead of resisting the world’s currents, I learned to surf them, finding freedom in the flow.

Confucius, on the other hand, seemed like the straight-laced uncle who always knew better. His “Analects” were a stark contrast to Lao Tzu’s freewheeling poetry. 

"The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions," Confucius preached.

While his focus on order and propriety seemed antithetical to my rebellious nature, I found value in his emphasis on personal integrity and self-cultivation. In other words, it wasn’t about obeying rules for their own sake but about honing oneself into a person worthy of respect, even on one’s own terms.

So, here I am, a product of this philosophical cocktail, navigating a world saddled with rules but doing so on my own terms. Through this journey, I've uncovered some uncommon breadcrumbs of wisdom for living more freely:

Question Everything: Blind faith is the enemy of personal growth. Challenge assumptions, even your own.

Embrace Paradox: Life is messy and contradictory. Accepting this makes life easier to navigate.

Cultivate Inner Anarchy: Your mind should be a playground, not a prison. Let your thoughts run wild.

Find Stillness in Chaos: Amidst the noise, carve out moments of silence. This is where true freedom resides.

Laugh at Authority: A sense of humor is your best defense against the absurdity of rigid systems.

In the end, my rebellion against the confines of my Catholic upbringing wasn’t just a revolt; it was a journey towards a more expansive and interconnected life. By blending the wisdom of Lao Tzu and Confucius, I found a path that honors both freedom and integrity, proving that true rebellion lies not in the act of breaking rules, but in the art of living authentically.

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