I. Quote: Being countercultural is the only way to win in a society that has set you up to lose.
II. Question: Where can you be brave enough to do something different from the crowd for the sake of your vision or soul?
III. Something Extra: Listen to Victory Boyd’s Against the Wind
Friend,
In the past few months, I’ve left the big city on the west coast for a small town in the south. I took time away from social media during a season when everyone was more glued to their screens than ever. And now, I’m writing free content in a moment when most of my peers are running to platforms to monetize their work. Each of these decisions was met with questions and skepticism from well meaning people who didn’t understand why I would do something against the norm.
But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that bucking trends and living based on discernment, values and truth is my norm. I've developed not just a personal ethic around being countercultural in my work, but a strong belief that it is the only way for all of us who want to live a life worthy of our calling.
To be countercultural is to have a set of attitudes and behaviors that run counter to those of the dominant culture. And I am convinced that being countercultural is how we win in spirit, mind, and body in a society that was not designed for our success.
Most of the dominant narratives around who you are, how you should behave and how the world works were carefully constructed by forces that don't know or care about you in order to maintain status quo power structures. Those paradigms lead the majority of us towards death - sometimes physical, sometimes professional or financial, but they almost always lead to the death of our destiny.
We talk BIG talk about disrupting the world's harmful patterns around race, gender and class, but most of us can’t even resist prevailing wisdom enough to take some apps off of our phones or walk away from a place that is hurting us. (Sidebar: Social movements full of people who obey the culture and long for acceptance from it will never actually change it.)
So free yourself! Being countercultural isn’t about having a fly sense of style or being a contrarian rebel. It’s about staring down the conventional–the popular–and daring to act based on your own knowing.
For some, that's easy. They are born with an independent streak and take pride in being different. Those people walk around with an effortless cool that makes the rest of us stop and stare. But for others, it's hard. Fear has shouted down your knowing. And it has promised a reward if you follow the rules and the crowd. Well, fear has lied. Here's the truth:
All that awaits you on the path of conformity is mediocrity, fierce injustice and a smallness of self. You deserve better. And you are capable of more.
This week, I give you permission to be countercultural. In big or small ways. Be your unique self. Honor that Voice. Go the other way. Say no where everyone says yes. Try something new when everyone is stuck in the old and hold onto the anchor of the ancient and true where everyone is breathlessly chasing what's next.
If there is something inside urging you to resist a norm that doesn’t align with who you are (or who you want to be) don’t ignore it. Listen to it and press against the wind.
It may feel foolish or scary, but your life is far too precious to leave it to the wind.
Love,
