By Norah Solomon┃Posted: February 11, 2019

The human experience is universal, period.

I remember how my first bike ride behind a friend on his not-so-glamorous bicycle was life-changing for me decades ago. I was being rebellious, thinking out of the box, breaking rules, not taking ‘no’ as the only answer to my questions.

A bicycle!  How liberating that seemed. I was always mesmerized by a bike and thought it would be awesome riding one.

As a girl growing up in Egypt at that time, bicycles were only for boys. Yes, there was always a clear, sharp line that differentiated ‘a boy’ from ‘a girl’: what was allowed for each; what were the limits, expectations, and the role imposed on each by society and its traditions. Unfortunately, this line still exists, everywhere, in one way or another.

I used to dream of riding a bike for a long time.  I remember my first experience with a bicycle was not all rosy: I was very young and my mom sent me to play with the girls next door.  As I stepped out of the building, there was one of the boys of the neighborhood getting his bike ready to go buy some bread from the ‘fourn’, or the bakery, at the end of the street.  I asked him if he could take me on a ride on his bike back and forth, and he said: “Sure!” I guess boys will be boys, and that he wanted to impress me with his riding skills; and that girls will be girls, and I was simply dreamy and excited about ‘breaking the rules’.

I honestly don’t remember who that boy was or what he even looked like. I also don’t remember what the bike looked like. I don’t think it was special in any way. All that I remember is that the bike seemed so big, scary, and intimidating to me. It had a flat metal surface installed behind the bike seat, which is normally used to attach a basket, or tie a box to, to fill it with goodies. There was no way my friend would ask me to go in front of him on the bike - with his arms around me! There were still some rules that weren’t meant to be broken. So I sat on that flat surface behind his seat, all dressed up, with both my legs dangling on one side of the bike. It was almost like a classic TCM movie scene, where Audrey Hepburn was a Countess riding a horse in the old English days.

My friend started pedaling, and I still remember how the excitement of the experience was so dazzling, and how my heart was beating faster and louder than a ‘tabla’: the Egyptian drums used in belly dancing music. I loved how the wind played with my hair and how liberated I felt, and I knew at that moment that ‘breaking the rules’ was going to be my destiny!

I have to say that I ended up falling from the bike, bruising my knee and scraping my elbow and wrist. So I got caught, literally red-handed, and I was lectured and grounded for it. But that day I tasted the sweetness of freedom and of being curious. I learned that not all rules make sense; and that my gender, traditions, and beliefs should not limit me in any way. That I can only believe through challenging, examining, and finding out on my own.

Break Out of Your Comfort Zone

Always be curious: don’t lose that passion for knowing and learning that was always there when you were a child.  Don’t stop to ask questions and don’t take someone’s answer for granted - no matter how ‘knowledgeable’ they might seem or you think they are. It is more meaningful and tangible when we find the answers for ourselves.  

Don’t Let Your Old Beliefs Or False Limitations Take Over

Shed your old beliefs and discard the false limitations that have been imposed on you by society, by any educational and/or religious system, or even by your own self.  Think out of the box while observing, learning, and growing. Never say never, or believe that it is too late: there are many true life stories out there of people who never gave up on their dreams, even in their 80’s or 90’s!

Change Is The Only Consistent Thing In Life

Life can change in a second.  Sometimes we think we are in full control, but in reality, we totally aren’t. So stop waiting for ‘something’ to happen, whether good or bad, in order to start living your dream.  Keep challenging yourself every day, ask more profound questions, and reflect upon the answers you come up with: it’s the only way to learn who you truly are and what you truly want.

Take a Leap Of Faith, Suddenly Or Gradually

One breath at a time… one little change at a time!  Change can be gradual, or it can be spur of the moment.  But if you’re the hesitant type, like I used to be, I find that Mel Robbins’ 5-Second Rule is a great tool.  So once you get an idea, don’t think twice: count down from 5 (5... 4... 3... 2... 1), and start taking your first step towards executing it. It can be as simple as turning your tv off and jumping off of the couch!

Practice gratitude and mindfulness

Be expressive. Think positive--this isn’t necessarily the same as staying positive all the time!  If you practice meditation, try to increase your time, and if you don’t, start by taking some quiet time to remain in silence, contemplate, breathe, and reflect.  It is also great to keep a journal, even if you write only one phrase or a word a day. This will still get you in the habit and will have a great impact on how you can reach your dreams. It is also as important, perhaps more important, that you have, or write down in your journal, a thought or an intention of gratitude towards something or someone. Being grateful every day is key.

When I followed my heart and got on the bike that day, I was taking a risk, and thankfully it was a risk that paid off well.  As a girl growing up in the Middle East, I shouldn’t be here today, and I wasn’t supposed to do a lot of things that I loved doing in my life.  But I’m here now because one day I decided to get on a bike. Something that seems so innocent, simple, and not even questionable to most, yet is life changing to some.

Take a leap of faith, eyes closed or opened!  Trust that you have wings, and have faith that you can fly.  However, don’t be attached to the result... Do you, and allow the Universe to take you where you need to be, which sometimes isn’t necessarily where you want to be! So keep an open mind and pay attention to the direction or path the Universe is guiding you to.

Never be scared of the unknown. Always be curious, ask questions, take risks, think out of the box, and break some rules.  It is the only way to live; the only way to write your own story, and the only way to learn: through your own experiences and not someone else’s!

Norah Solomon lives life in the here and now, with acceptance and gratitude. She is a multi-lingual freelance translator, life coach, 500-hour certified yoga teacher, and writer.