| 1 min 40 sec read
He wasn't at all a drinker, but a Margarita is what he asked for just ten hours before he passed.
It stuck in my head.
His rebellious side, on his last day, made me laugh.
We all have a little rebel inside of us.
It's good to be a bit untamed.
In the 7th grade, another girl dared me to run down the street naked.
It was an all-girl sleepover.
Midnight under the moon.
(clears throat) Ahem, I'll come back to that.
When our rebellion becomes self-destructive- that's another matter.
Lassoing is required.
Over the last year, I worked with a family.
Dad is a lively, fun guy, the life of the party—a businessman.
Mom, creative and beautiful, smart as a whip. Home raising the kids.
It had been over 25 years of dealing with his out-of-hand drinking.
She was covering for him.
Pleading with him.
The kids were witnessing it all.
She became spent like a sponge wrung dry but with nothing left to give.
She didn't know who she was anymore.
Getting out of bed or off the couch became physically impossible.
In my office, I helped her get herself back.
Her vitality. Her sense of self.
Together, we redefined who she is and what she stands for.
A woman with a strong voice; who's heard.
It turns out that her inner rebel also wanted to ride a train through Switzerland. (a long time promised vacation)
She even ran a damn half marathon.
Amazing what you can do when you get yourself going.
And Dad? He lassoed his drinking. He got help.
I'm inspired he made that decision.
Learning to listen and lead your inner rebel with a newfound maturity is a beautiful skill.
The journey from impulse to intention is a meaningful one.
You get to reap the benefits of the awesome "rebel feeling" and leave the destructive part behind.
It does require mindful finessing.
Reframing.
You learn to communicate effectively with yourself.
You courageously act on your intentions, one small step a time.
I lassoed the nightly margaritas by the way.
It's back to mocktails with an occasional real one for Dad.
Both are pretty delicious.
And spicy!
As for the naked moon streaking, my mind vaguely tells me I did it, but I don't recall any details.
So, I asked my bestie to find out; she laughingly remembers every detail of our crazy childhood.
She says, "Yep, naked as a jaybird. Everyone was trying to stop you from doing it, which egged you on more."
Oh my. Where was the Lasso?
As a woman who studies behaviors, I recognize the need for attention.
I also kinda love "her" gutsiness.
The best we can do is get the parts of ourselves to work strongly together. And for our greater good.
All of this brings me to the question:
What is your Inner Rebel willing to do now that's courageous, beneficial, and life-giving?
I want to know. And so does your inner self.
Your energy, attitude, and life spark await you to act!
P.S.
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