A SELF PROFESSED REBEL
Before we dive into being a rebel in a pandemic, let’s define what it means to be a rebel. A rebel is someone who thrives on non-conformity. They fight back against the injustices of the world and pave their own way forward. They’re fiercely passionate with unwavering stubbornness.
I will admit that I’ve been a rebel most of my life. Since I was 14, I refused to cower to the pain of life. I said a big ‘f*ck you’ to the madness of the world and I fought injustices big and small.
I fought my teachers, I fought my mom, and I fought ‘the way things just are’. And I know it’s easy to look at a pissed-off 14-year-old and think they’re just immature, but the rebel archetype plays an important role in our society.
THE REBEL ARCHETYPE
Much like the Joker, the Rebel causes us to question the status quo. Refusing to be sheep, they have a unique perspective and they’re not afraid to embrace it. They have the courage to go against the grain, and they’re used to being ostracised for refusing to fit in.
Rebels are innovators, visionaries, pot stirrers, and movement makers. They’re free spirits, creative thinkers, and masters of refusing to conform.
As a rebel, odds are you never really fit in. You have a general distrust for rule makers and powerful figures. And the last thing you ever want is to be ordered around. In fact, refusing to be told what to do is kind of your superpower. You would never live your life according to someone else’s values or rules. Conforming to a messed-up society goes against everything you stand for. You choose to pave your own way and make this beautiful life YOURS. Not what the media, church, school, government, or even your aunt Sally says it should be. No, your life is sole, by right, yours. And knowing this keeps the fire in you alive and burning.
FROM ONE REBEL TO ANOTHER
To my rebel brothers and sisters, I see you. I know how frustrating it is to be told what to do. And I know that our society is still pretty messed up. I know that refusing to conform has been your superpower. It’s kept you safe from giving in and giving up. It’s kept you going. And from one rebel to another, I commend you for that.
And while this has been our superpower, the world is asking something different of us right now. And by the world, I don’t just mean society. NATURE is asking something different of us right now. Nature is asking us to pause, to withdraw, to change. We’ve been going and going and going since the industrial revolution, and it’s been taking a toll on our planet, and quite honestly, on us.
IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE
Humanity has been too busy to pause or reflect for a very long time. We got so caught up in maniacally moving forward that we forgot how to BE. We forgot how to listen to what our hearts and soul wanted. We forgot how to listen to Mother Earth. And now, we find ourselves in a forced pause. A forced reflection.
But as a rebel, you may be fighting this. You may be trying to carry on the way you always have. You may be having a hard time accepting what people are saying about putting things on hold and socially isolating. And if so, my question to you is, what are you fighting? Are you fighting a delusional society? Or are you fighting acknowledging this thing because of how incredibly vulnerable that might feel?
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
As much as it hasn’t always felt like it, we ARE all in this together. We all have fragile little human bodies. Being a rebel doesn’t make us immune to this virus, even if we think we’re immune to the rules.
Change is uncomfortable. It’s a form of death and rebirth. A part of us must die to allow a new part of us to be born. And in order to evolve, you need to have enough faith to let yourself feel vulnerable. You need faith to let go of an old part of yourself and embrace the unknown of something new.
You need courage. And my rebel friend, courage is what you are made of. You’ve leaned into the discomfort of being different your whole life. Now it’s time to turn that courage in a new direction. It’s time to let yourself be part of this world. It’s time to let yourself feel vulnerable and remember that you are human too. You are affected by this stuff. And as a part of this world, you have a responsibility to yourself and your community to acknowledge what’s happening.
It will probably hurt. But we’re all here for you. We’re feeling it too. And we’ll get through this together. Introvert style, from the comfort of our own homes.
Note: this message is for those of us with the freedom to choose social isolation. For those who are working in the front lines in grocery stores, gas stations, hospitals, and all essential services, THANK YOU. Thank you for your hard work and service. Thank you for taking care of us and keeping our society functioning. You are inspiring and I am grateful for you. ▲
A MESSAGE FROM THE FUTURE
Being in Canada, we’ve been gifted the opportunity to look into the future at countries that’ve been where we are now.
In this video, Italians share messages with their 10-days-ago past selves.
