3 Ways to Alter Normal

Having an Uncommon Home, Education, and Personal Life – Part 9

3 Ways to Alter Normal

I know of only 3 ways that can alter the pattern of being normal.  However, before I get to those, let me remind you that normal isn’t enough.  Having a normal marriage is not enough.  Having a normal life isn’t satisfying.  Having a normal career isn’t rewarding. Having a normal religious experience isn’t fulfilling.  Having a normal family isn’t working.  Just think about it for a moment, we like saying we’re normal, but it isn’t enough.  We desire more and use “normal” as an excuse.

Being common is normal.  It’s natural.  There’s nothing uncertain about it and it’s taught naturally. Your pre-school helped you begin the process of being normal.  Your elementary and high school years molded you into a familiar being.  Uncommon during these phases of life isn’t popular; it’s usually discouraged.

Now for the 3 ways I spoke of earlier:
(1) Starting over.  I understand you’ve made it this far in life and it sounds frightening to have to do some things differently.  Starting over is necessary if you want to change and break the “normal” cycle.  You need a “do-over”.  As long as you continue to do things like normal people do, you will continue to have the results that normal people have. The goal of starting over is to start doing the things that normal people don’t do. Then start doing the things that very few do.

(2) Reassessing.  I have this saying that I use with those I coach, “you need to start with a blank sheet of paper.”  In everything, start with a blank sheet of paper.  Don’t assume you know how to do anything.  Reassess how everything is done.  Reassess how you treat your spouse.  Reassess how you interact with your children.  Reassess your church and what you want out of your spiritual relationships. Reassess how you handle your finances.  Reassess everything as if it were your first time.  I remember when I embraced my call to the message of “no-longer-common”, I purchased a new Bible.  I wanted to start over and reassess everything I knew about, even, the Bible.

(3) Learn for yourself.  The biggest problem with being normal is that we inherently trust other normal, average, ordinary individuals to teach us everything.  It’s better if you go on the journey of discovery for yourself.  Example: if your friends encourage you to obtain a student loan to pay for your college education as the best option, you should go on a search of how to do it a different way.  Normal is never the best route.

Because we accept what’s common we are forced to live a common existence… nothing more.