My current podcast is an interview of Chris Cade.   During that interview he used the term "thinking without the box", introducing the concept of going beyond just thinking outside the box.

This idea has had me thinking all week about just getting rid of all the "boxes" in my life.   Boxes are good for holding things if the things need protecting.  But I tend to try to protect so many things that don't need protecting.

Why do I have a box for art, and a different box for spirituality? And why do I put big labels on them written with a Magic Marker?

I've been mentally dumping the contents of all my boxes out, letting it all get mixed together, and removing the labels.  And the awareness that has come of that is amazing!

Two of my largest boxes were labeled Black and White. I have been using these categories for a lot of people, situations and myself.  They sat very close to the boxes labeled Good and Bad.

Examining the purpose of these boxes and labels has helped me see that there is a false sense of security in them.  But real security, i.e., happiness, is in freedom. Releasing myself from judgment is starting to make me feel very free.  Try it yourself!

"That you are a slave Neo, like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see what it is for yourself. This is your last chance. After this there is no turning back. You take the blue pill the story ends. You wake up in bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember, all I'm offering is the truth, nothing more."
~ The Matrix

I did not suddenly lose all judgmentalness and fear because I heard Chris' views on thinking without the box. I have been on a journey for many years to get here, and this is just one more step in that journey.

But I have learned some beautiful things along the way. And they aren't all profound.  Some are very simple things that just make a few moments of my day more fun.

But it all begins with the courage to let go of our self-made prisons.  The courage to take one small step outside what we've been fed.  One question about a belief we've accepted.  One stroke of a color we've never used before.

A great place to start is to pay attention to the words you use.  For a week be in tune to the "shoulds", "have tos", "goods", "bads" and "cant's".   Then try to eliminate just one of those words from your vocabulary.  I think you'll be amazed all the flow of discovery and revelation that will follow.