Running shirtless, and other acts of liberation.

For years, I have truly believed that people should not care what others think of them, within reason. We should care if we are callously hurting people’s feelings or if our actions cause harm to others, but for the most part, we should not allow anyone else’s opinions to stop us from doing what we want.

Most of us are familiar with this great saying credited to Eleanor Roosevelt, ““You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” I have truly believed it, but wasn’t always living it.

Then, I started to pay attention to my own thoughts and actions, in part because of what I was reading (see Zen, happiness and other fluff) and in part because my guy demonstrates this wonderful trait every day.  I was letting what I thought I should do stop me from an ultimate freedom - running shirtless. So what, you say? That’s not such a big deal. But ask most women if they would run shirtless and you’ll probably see a range of horrified looks. Here’s the secret that they probably won’t share though: we are afraid of being judged not by men, but by other women. We don’t want to be seen as a show-off, a trollop (yes, I’m channeling my inner Victorian woman), immodest and a whole gamut of other horrid adjectives. I also didn’t feel like the world would appreciate seeing the stretch marks etched into my stomach from housing three children.

Then one day, with some encouragement, I said, “F*ck it. It’s over 100 degrees outside and I don’t want to wear a shirt.” Sweet liberation. The world did not come to a screeching halt, no one hurled insults my way and I bet no one cared nor noticed.

This feeling of liberation stayed with me at the gym where I had previously refrained from doing an exercise that I knew was great for me - glute bridges. Google it and you’ll see why. Now, I don’t give a f*ck. Yes, I’m thrusting my hips in the air and sometimes with a metal ball nestled in my crotch. And no one gives a sh#t.

What started as acts of physical liberation have transformed much of my mindset too. It is inexplicably freeing to stop caring about what others think. Sometimes all it takes is one small act of rebellion to transform a mindset. I took my shirt off. What will be your act of rebellion?