Image by: Unsplash
By Vanessa Green
Since I know myself, I have always been that someone who likes to do things differently. It’s not that I want to draw attention to myself; it’s just that ordinary and normal things bore me.
Don’t get me wrong, I follow rules, but only when I find it rational and when I understand it completely. For me, it’s difficult to just say “yes” to everything without knowing “why.”
When I was young, my mother and I would always fall out because she wouldn’t allow me to do certain things without explaining why. Her side of the family is very conservative and religious. So, I had to go to church and attend mass twice a week, pray the rosary every day and memorize the novena, no questions asked.
School was no different even though it was non-sectarian. Only one haircut style was allowed for boys and only pigtails and ponytails for girls and no matter how white our socks were, if they had a small print on them we would be sent home.
In fairness to the corporate world, I could say that it gave me a deeper sense of freedom in terms of clothing and style; but I felt that the thinking was still restricted. You just have to do what your boss asks you to do, generate daily and monthly reports, meet deadlines and go to work on time.
Office work encouraged me to use my brain, but it didn’t have much use for my creative juices. After 5 years of soul searching, I finally got tired of the 9-5 routine so I decided to leave my job for good.
But I wasn’t only soul-searching, I was also saving my money for something I wasn’t really sure of – starting up my own business.
With help from a friend with a background in business management, I was able to start my own water refilling station. Since I have no competition in my area yet, my business has been doing really good and I’m already looking to expand.
Leaving my regular job wasn’t easy for me because I have responsibilities. Staying would have been a safer and a more convenient choice, but if I didn’t push myself in taking risks, I would’ve been stuck in my boring minion life at the office and probably would’ve never felt this free.
Cultivating our power to look at things differently from the way we normally do can lead to a more creative and ultimately happier life.
Using the unconventional or non-traditional approach can help us see opportunities within our problems.
In “What Happens to Your Life When You Start Thinking Outside-the-Box,” writer Daniela McVicker explains how seeing problems as a negative thing will only hinder us from using them to do something truly great.
When we are confronted with a bad situation, we always tend to focus our efforts in figuring out a solution. However, people who think “outside the box” concentrate more on “re-conceptualizing” the situation and examining it from different angles and perspectives.
Unique situations sometimes, call for unique actions.
When we encounter a unique problem or something that is really new to us, we tend to make the mistake of categorizing the problem as “familiar” or “normal.” But in reality, that’s not how it works. There is no generic answer for life’s questions, be it about love or business.
In “Beyond Periscope: Powerful Live Streaming Platforms From YouTube and Facebook,” writer Alex Yong features Ryan Steinolfson, also known as “Persicope Ryan,” and how this new live video streaming platform can be useful to small businesses and to our daily lives.
In this day, when video streaming has become extremely popular for consumer engagement, this unique application can be a real asset to your digital marketing strategy.
“We cannot solve a problem with the same level of thinking we used when we created them.”
No matter how cliché, these words by Albert Einstein are so true and very effective. We cannot solve a problem using the same level of awareness from when we created them.
And the same concept applies in our diet.
Health issues arise when there’s a discrepancy between what we want and what we need.
Check this out – “Why the World Must Shift to Plant-Based Diets: A Doctor Explains.”
Dietary change can not only help us live longer, but it also takes us a step further in reducing food-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Don’t restrict and confine yourself with the usual way of doing things.
Disrupt your routine once in a while and try something new, even in your sex life. Perhaps next time, you can try doing it at the gym!
Out of the ordinary thinking keeps your creativity sharp and helps you develop new strategies that can solve even the most chaotic situations. It expands your comfort zone instead of you having to get out of it.
So the next time you are presented with an unfamiliar problem, try planning backwards instead of moving forward. Turn things upside down and change your orientation if you have to until you figure things out.