Pushing the Limits

I have always pushed limits.

There have always been limits in my life. Women couldn't get a car loan without a husband or father to co-sign. Women didn't travel alone. Women could not be managers. Women did not buy a house by themselves or live in the city center alone. Women shouldn't own a business. Women shouldn't earn more money than their husbands.

Sometimes when you jump off a cliff, you learn to fly.
I fell down a lot, sometimes I flew.
 
I always pushed my parents. They were unwilling or incapable of constructing a reasoned argument, so from an early age I could out-argue them. Their only response was to hit me, and that only made me more rebellious. I could play "mind games" with them and they didn't know how to handle that.
 
I definitely push the limits with a lot of things and have done throughout my life by being a natural rebel. If there were rules made, then they were made to be broken and quite often that’s exactly what I did. I’d push the limits with my parents, with my teachers and with my friends when and if I could.

For some reason I’m often on the edge of what’s acceptable and don’t seem to mind.

I push the limits with humour , quite often past what’s acceptable and I’m not quite sure why.
I think without humour I’d be lost.

It’s certainly something to consider.
 
Keesha said:
Do you push the limits?If so, whose limits do you push, how do you push them and why?/QUOTE]

Yes, I push my "limits" physically, and try to do as much physical work/exercise as my old body can handle. That way, I can still stay fairly fit and active. Those of my age who seem to have all sorts of ailments seem to spend most of their time on the couch.
I also like to drive fairly fast....if the traffic, and road conditions allow. I loved to drag race, when younger, and had a novice FIA racing license when I was in Germany....drove in local airport races in an Austin Healey, on Sundays. That love of speed still carries over, and if the speed limit says 65, I'm usually doing 70....just fast enough to get there quickly, yet not attract too much attention from the cops.
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Oh yes! Exercise. I push my own limits with exercise by challenging myself. I push my limits playing the saxophone or creating some art. Perhaps it’s an inner drive to excel. Persistence and determination are good characteristics. Some people refer to them as stubborn but hey, tomato 🍅 tomato 😂

I think I’m overtired. 🙃
 
I no longer try to break any speed records but I do push myself doing things inside the house. Can't take much sun anymore so try to stay inside most of the summer months. Nice fall, winter and spring days I'm usually spending time outside but can't do much because Daddy Elf comes out to help and he tires out easily but won't go inside until I do. Sometimes we just sit on the porch and drink coffee...those are the times I enjoy.
 
Pushing our own limits can often be useful. Pushing limits set by others - or intentionally pushing other peoples buttons - is generally unhelpful. It does nothing for creating a more civil society.

I would like to think that I usually respect limits set by other individuals, groups, and governments with patience and thoughtful tolerance. On those rare occasion when that isn't possible and I can't, as Gary O said, "go around them", then I find that direct action is more useful than "pushing the limits". JMHO
 
And what exactly do you mean by direct action Tommy and what’s the difference?

Saying you take direct action instead of pushing the limits doesn’t really say anything.
 
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I mostly stay within the limits others have set because I’m risk-averse and typically not a rule breaker.

I am the opposite though when it comes to my own personal limits, and what is typical for my age or what others think is “appropriate” for my age. All bets are off at that point! 😂
 
Pushing limits?
If you were asked to read a chapter of a book for school, you read the entire book.
If you are supposed to be home by 9:00, you come in at 9:15.
If you aren’t supposed to walk on the railroad tracks , you do anyway.
If you are warned not to associate with such & such a person, you become their best friend.

🥺I guess it sounds bad 🤔lol
 
Today I’ve had a light bulb moment .
The other day somebody asked me if I was an anarchist. It was a word I had to look up but it basically meant an authority rebel.

When I was younger I really was but it made me think about this topic and I came to a conclusion.

Pushing your own limits and testing yourself is your prerogative. There’s nothing wrong with challenging yourself.

Pushing limits that aren’t your own can have negative consequences. Some of the limits you are challenging might be enforced by the government and are there for a reason to protect others. Pushing these limits is usually breaking the law.


It was a revelation for me today and something I hope to learn from.

Pushing your own limits is ok
Pushing other people’s limits isn’t

Check.
 
I was famous for pushing people in my work but I never was unreasonable (at least in my mind). I was never satisfied with doing what is required because that is my definition of doing the minimum only. I my business the hours and work loads were demanding but paid very well. I saw it only one way to out do my competitors with the goal to be #1 on the list for jobs offered in the future by many customers. There is no excuse for not wanting to be regarded s the best. I have witnessed several competing companies fail and some fold in that last 20 years of my business and in most cases their loss was our gain. Sadly our very small company was bought by a worldwide company just before I retired. I'm glad I got out soon after.
 
I push limits when dealing with myself because I believe I can always become better. I will also push limits with major corporations if they try to overcharge me for services or otherwise rip off the little guy. If I don't do it who will? And it needs to be done.

If more people stood up against all the garbage that's being thrown at us all the time, maybe the world would become a better place again? It's worth a try. No one can walk all over you unless you lie down and let them.
 
chic said:
I push limits when dealing with myself because I believe I can always become better. I will also push limits with major corporations if they try to overcharge me for services or otherwise rip off the little guy. If I don't do it who will? And it needs to be done.

If more people stood up against all the garbage that's being thrown at us all the time, maybe the world would become a better place again? It's worth a try. No one can walk all over you unless you lie down and let them.
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I this is more of the idea I was trying to get at.
If a squeaky wheel was ever needed for a great cause I aced being the squeaky wheel and still do.

I like your post chic. It’s people who don’t accept the unacceptable who are the ones to make permanent change. All it took was that first African American woman to sit at the front of the bus to make history and change the world forever.
She broke the law but it needed breaking.

Thank you. I couldn’t quite get what I was trying to say. You did a much better job than I.
 
Keesha said:
I this is more of the idea I was trying to get at.
If a squeaky wheel was ever needed for a great cause I aced being the squeaky wheel and still do.

I like your post chic. It’s people who don’t accept the unacceptable who are the ones to make permanent change. All it took was that first African American woman to sit at the front of the bus to make history and change the world forever.
She broke the law but it needed breaking.

Thank you. I couldn’t quite get what I was trying to say. You did a much better job than I.
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Aw, You're sweet Keesha. 🥰
 
I've always tried to walk that straight & narrow line in life. However...my free will & big mouth sometimes take me on an adventure. I tend to fight for the side of right. Sometimes depending on the circumstance...will depend on how far I'm willing to go with it. I almost lost a job once because I disagreed with something that was happening & boy did I rail about it. I thought for sure I was goner cuz I got right in my bosses face about something. She got mad & refused to talk to me about it. Luckily for her I shut my pie hole when I did. 😁
 

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