This is one of the hardest things to do when you're growing up in a culture that you don't necessarily agree with. You're surrounded by people who believe in certain things and view the world in a certain way. That's not necessarily bad, because it leads to traditions and customs that can identify who you are as a group. But if you want to break out of your old ways and start thinking creatively, there are several ways you can accomplish this. Here are five of them:
Take time to understand your culture
It is not enough that you are aware of your cultural influences. You have to understand them completely before you can move forward with your life. The reason is that if you are simply aware of your cultural influences, then there is a slight chance that they will still affect your behavior even if you try really hard to free yourself from them.
Ignore Everyone
This is one of the hardest things to do, but it can be done. The best way to do this is to just ignore everyone. If your family is religious, stop caring about religion all together. If they are into sports, then don't watch sports with them.
It's really that simple. Just don't talk about anything they like, and if they bring something up just say "Oh I'm not really interested in that." They will try to talk about it more, so you'll need to learn how to shut people down quickly without being hurtful or rude. This is hard because you will feel some guilt for doing this. Some may even call you a bad person for not wanting to participate in what they're doing. Don't listen to them though, you are better than them because you're brave enough to go against the grain and find yourself.
When you first start doing this it will be hard, but with time it will get easier and easier until all your friends are the people who enjoy the same things as you. This way of life is beneficial because you no longer have to worry about other people's opinions, and you'll be able to live the life you want without being judged by anyone else.
Accept Yourself
One of the most powerful ways to break free from the shackles of your culture is to simply accept yourself.
The biggest impediment to personal growth is our own subconscious programming, which takes on a life of its own. We all have what some psychologists call 'the inner critic', which is constantly judging how we are doing, whether we are good enough, and what others think of us. The higher the standards you set for yourself, the more often this voice will reoccur in your life.
If you want to break free from the shackles of your culture, you must first accept yourself for who you are. This doesn't mean you should let your guard down and abandon all concept of what it means to be a good person; it means that you should stop comparing yourself to others, and embrace yourself as you are.
Have boundaries and make sure they are respected
So many of us carry around so much fear, shame and guilt about what "our culture" may think of us, but the truth is that our culture is not our problem. Our problems are our problems.
The only way to truly break free from your culture is to set boundaries in your life that are respected.
It's okay to say no. It's okay to not do things that aren't right for you. It's okay to be who you are with no apologies.
Your culture is not your problem... your problems are your problems.
Be brave and take some risks
There are many reasons why people don't leave their comfort zone. One of the main reasons is that they are too scared of taking risks. They are afraid that they will lose out on something if they take a risk or are too scared to try something new.
This is especially true in cultures where there is a fear of being different, where you have to be part of the crowd or face being an outcast. You have to learn how to control your fear and face it head on so you can break free from your culture's shackles
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The first step towards breaking free from the shackles of your culture is being brave enough to take some risks. Too many people are too scared of taking risks because they are afraid that they will fail or lose out on something. There is always a chance that something might not work out but you can never know unless you try. And if you don't try then you will know for sure that it won't work.
Be Open Minded
Some cultures are better at certain things than others. Some cultures are stuck in the past, while some are willing to embrace change whole heartedly. Some cultures encourage personal growth and development while others don't.
This may seem a little strange, but you need to be open minded if you want to break free from your cultural shackles regardless of what culture you belong to. Why? Well, because being open minded allows you to appreciate cultural differences without being judgmental about them. In order words, you should be open minded so that you can learn from other cultures.
Being open minded also allows you to see things from a different perspective. It helps you understand that other people have different beliefs and values from your own. It helps you realize that other people have different priorities and interests from yours. Although this might not seem important at first glance, it's quite important because this might just help you break free from your cultural shackles in many ways.