The Boxes I Continually Put Myself In

I always refer to living outside the ‘box’ as a religious box that keeps me bound. However, I am finding that there are many boxes, many things that keep me bound and usually those things are created by me. I hate to admit this, but when I get fixated on something, that thing I am allowing to captivate me is what keeps me from growing, or having a broader mindset on where others are or what is right or wrong… I have asked myself before if there a right or wrong answer to everything? My answer to that today would be absolutely not. There are a lot of people who I may not agree with or see eye to eye on every issue with, but that does not mean that I have all the answers or know everything, and it seems like these boxes/viewpoints are used as a form of security or protection from other beliefs or ways of doing things. It’s so easy to get in that mindset though, and it’s hard to break free from the boxes that can keep me from seeing different viewpoints or even keep me away from showing curiosity or interest in different aspects of people’s lives that may differ from my own. I have heard my husband tell me that I sometimes get religious about my un-religious beliefs. Pretty contradictory, but true in a lot of ways, and it seems like it typically doesn’t just stop at religion. I always thought that if someone agreed with me or found things that interest them as they did me, there were more comparable aspects to being in a friendship or relationship than with someone who differed from me! Yeah, I think all of us like those who agree with us or have the same interest who come into our lives, but that does not close the door to others who don’t match our criteria in life. What is it going to take to break free from the boxes that only offer narrow mindedness and that only produce isolation from others? It’s a process, but I am learning how to live OUTSIDE the boxes I continually put myself in that keep me trapped from a freedom that is found on a broader scale.