September 2, 2024
Embrace Your Individuality
Color Outside the Lines
There are some days that will remain in our memories forever. For me, one of those days was when I picked my four-year-old daughter up from preschool, and she shared a picture with me that she had colored that day. Like any proud momma bear, I hung her masterpiece on the refrigerator and let her know how much I liked it. My daughter stood in the kitchen, staring at the picture for a moment or two, and said sadly, “It’s not good; I colored outside the lines.”
When I observed her picture, I admired her use of color and hadn’t considered the lines at all. However, I realized that the areas outside the lines were all she saw when she looked at it. She was disappointed in herself for not conforming to the “rules” by staying in the lines.
My daughter was only four years old, yet she had already learned that she should stay in the lines to be accepted or rewarded.
What does it mean to always color within the lines? It means playing it safe and conforming to society’s expectation of what normal is. If we color outside the lines, we break the rules by being creative and acting irregularly.
Everyone wants to be accepted. As humans, we have an innate need to be part of a community and to feel socially connected. It is a part of who we are. We try to conform to societal expectations to be accepted.
We learn to do this by age four or five.
Rules can be very helpful. Like the rules of the road for stopping at red lights, which help to reduce accidents and keep drivers safe. And then there are the rules that inhibit us. These unhealthy rules prevent us from expressing ourselves authentically or using our voices.
Unhealthy rules prevent us from growing, developing, and reaching our full potential.
Yes, we may be accepted and be part of the group, but at what cost?
Personally, I think it is better to color outside the lines and embrace our individuality.
I have always considered myself creative and innovative. I’m the type who would come up with crazy ideas about how to change healthcare delivery and think outside the box.
There were many times when my boss would shake his head and say “no.” He would tell me that my ideas wouldn’t work and shut them down before I could finish my presentation.
His negativity didn’t stop me. I was tenacious and would find a way to move my crazy idea forward.
Even though I may have worn a dark suit and pumps to work to be accepted by the executives, that didn’t mean I had to stop being me or expressing my individuality through my innovative ideas. I was determined to develop new programs and transform healthcare, so I kept on coloring outside the lines.
It is crucial for us to embrace our individuality. We should all fully embrace all that we are and everything we bring to the world. It might make things a bit awkward at times, but it will be worth the discomfort.
Although you might feel safer coloring in the lines, you will often be less fulfilled and have less joy. Instead of worrying about society’s boundaries, unleash your uniqueness.
Create, play, and innovate. Embrace your individuality. If you don’t set yourself apart, your tribe will not be able to find you. And that would just be sad.
Take the risk, feel empowered to express yourself. Be authentically you.
Love and Light,
Jackie
How do you embrace your individuality? Please share your story with us in the comments below. We love to hear from our community. For more information on empowerment and personal development, please visit our official website at www.Deleaninstitute.com.
Sources
“Inspiration and Exploration, Think Outside the Box: How a Color Outside the Lines Quote Inspired Me to Break the Rules Plus 5 Tips for Creative Thinking,” June 16, 2022, Inspirationandexploration.com
Grammarist, “Color Outside the Lines,” www.grammarist.com
