The need for balancing all areas of life is something that I often address in my writing and speaking. However, this doesn’t mean always living a conservative life. To the contrary, I advocate “getting out of the middle”. I don’t ever have to live a life that puts me in the mainstream. Although there’s nothing at all wrong with that, if it’s what I believe I’m supposed to be doing in life.
So much of the time, people live in the middle because they want to conform and fit in with others. Peer pressure is a powerful thing! To me, this is a compromise of values. In other words, if a person really feels like they should be doing something, but they don’t because everyone else is doing something else, this is not an enlightened way to live. The only reason I should be “living in the middle” is if it’s where I truly believe I belong.
People are so unique that it’s highly unlikely that so many people would all feel individually compelled to do the same thing. It stands to reason, then, that we tend to follow the herd instead of breaking free of it, or even leading it.
There have been studies done in which people were given a choice of three identical packages, which were lined up in front of them, and asked to pick one. There is a strong tendency to pick…you guessed it! The one in the middle. You can observe this for yourself. Find a store which has three doors leading into it and see how many people go in the middle one. Or watch any situation where people can choose a lineup of options, and where there is a middle choice. The majority choose the middle.
This same psychology applies the choices we make about how we live. Many people tend to take direction from what the masses are doing or what is popular. Others follow their inner direction and are unconcerned with what the masses are doing. For me, I follow my inner direction, which is actually my spiritual guidance.
It seems like most of my life I’ve been “out on the edges”, so to speak. This doesn’t refer to living in some reckless way, but simply taking the path that is right for me. I don’t do this in order to gain attention or to stand out. It’s just what I believe I’m meant to be doing.
I suggest you live your life on the path that’s right for you, not the one where the herd runs. You may find that you really like it out there!
Today I am grateful for “getting out of the middle”.
March 14, 2011 at 7:58 pm
The Middle Path can be nurturing, but it’s the view from the edge that has expanded my perspective. it reminds me of the statement, “It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”