Do you dare to get out of lock-step?
Hey people who dare!
My purpose for Giulietta the Muse has always been to encourage my readers and clients to summon up the courage to get out of lock-step. Looked up the definition of lock-step on Merriam-Webster.com. They define it as: a standard method or procedure that is mindlessly adhered to or that minimizes individuality. Lock-step marches you in a direction not of your conscious choosing. After awhile it becomes second nature. So much so, that you may not even realize you are marching until some event in your life forces you to notice it.
Such an event might be a job loss or an illness or even something as simple as a comment a friend or stranger makes. Once you look down and notice your legs marching in a direction you don’t recall pointing them in, the real life awakening begins.
For those of you want to turn around and “skip” in a new direction, please consider checking out my newest life shop: How to stop being so busy and start living a meaningful life.
If you live in the Greater Boston area and are free on Saturday, April 24th in the am, I’d love for you to join us!
Muse thanks,
Giulietta
RSS
For those of you who’ve broken out of lockstep, what event caused you to see it?
Thx!
G.
My first time back in the classroom after my accident took me out of lockstep. The beauty of it all was that it was all set up on my 12-year-old son. When his teacher asked his class if they knew of anybody who could teach them for a couple of days whilst she went on a course, his hand was the first one up! He pleaded with her to give me a call. I’m so glad she did because it gave me a whole new perspective on life and a real positive burst of energy. My son saw potential in me that I didn’t even realize I still had.
Thank you for a lovely post!
Beautiful story Tracy! Children can often see what we’ve stopped being able to see in ourselves. It’s so important to maintain our child-like qualities.
The daughter of an old friend, had a horseback riding accident that left her also paralyzed from the neck down, although a little bit lower than yours like you described on your blog. She has resumed being a horse show judge!
I wrote a post about it two years ago and am trying to find it, in order to post it.
Think you will enjoy it!
Always wonderful to have you stop by.
Giulietta
It’s had to happen more than once, so I don’t know if I could identify just.
This last time, which I truly hope will be the last time it has to happen, it was a simple realization that what I was doing simply wasn’t going to make a difference to or for me or anyone else. That I was being hollowed out slowly and would inevitably end up being a dried gourd one day. I ‘responsibly’ set myself a goal to get out of my corporate job in five years, then proceeded to do almost nothing for the next four and a half.
Fortunately, someone/thing was paying attention and circumstances generously conspired at that point to give me a serious kick in the pants. I woke up one day, quit my job, took a couple months to sell or give almost everything away, and got a ‘Shining’ job so that I could give to myself the novel I’d promised I’d write one day.
I’m not sure how it’s all going to turn out yet (first draft complete at 195,000 words – edits on the way), but I love not marching in unison. I find that I often enjoy walking out of unison on purpose in a devilish kind of way, and the hours I spend ‘working’, while longer than ever, are infinitely more rewarding…
As ever, G., you rock. Thanks…
Michael,
Your words help us “feel” exactly what happens, “That I was being hollowed out slowly and would inevitably end up being a dried gourd one day.”
Yes, that’s what happens. The “you”ness of you gets sucked out leaving nothing but a shell. Couldn’t explain it any better.
For some reason lockstep syndrome as well as your comment reminds me of the “invasion of the body snatchers.” (Donald Sutherland version.)
Shining job reference – brilliant. Congrats on your book draft. I know I’ve mentioned this before but I see you writing all sorts of books, etc, about your Shiningish experience.
More people need to see that you can get out of lockstep and find your own way home.
Great comment as usual. Look forward to reading your book. Thanks! G.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Giulietta Nardone. Giulietta Nardone said: Do you dare to get out of lock-step? http://bit.ly/aypXAp […]
Giulietta, thank you – what an encouraging wake-up call. Yes, lockstep supposes that people don’t even perceive the lock – it is so ingrained that it is actually a death-grip that cuts us off from our own amazing life force. Hope you get a great response to your newest life shop!
Greetings from the mountains in Japan – Catrien Ross.
Hey Catrien from the mountains in Japan,
Sounds like you are writing from a beautiful place. Need to hear more about it. Will stop by your blog again.
Life shop response is great! Thank you for the well wishes. People want to find meaning in their lives. Good trend.
Thx, G.
Giulietta –
Lock step is so boring but I was there for a long time in my old career. I guess I just hit rock bottom of boredom and missing my family working long hours and decided enough was enough.
Now I get to help people live Less Ordinary lives every day and love it. Thanks for a great post!
Phil
Hey Phil,
Glad you got out alive! Man, I’ve experienced that boredom. It’s painful. You want to climb the walls looking for a way out. Phil’s got a great blog called “Less Ordinary Living.” Good stuff on it!
Thx. G.