A Playful Path to Self-Awareness: The Avocado Method™ + Rule #6
There’s a line in The Art of Possibility that always makes me smile (and exhale):
“Don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously.”
I used to joke that I had Serious Disease. Not that I had a serious disease, but the habit of taking life—and myself—a little too seriously.
So when I came across Rule #6 in Rosamund and Benjamin Zander’s book, I laughed out loud. It gave me a fresh, light-hearted way to recognize those moments when I was spiraling into rigidity or self-importance.
A way to gently, kindly call myself back to center.
Back to authenticity.
Back to me.
It also pairs perfectly with a little gem that emerged from a healing conversation with a close friend—something I now call The Avocado Method™.
So What Is the Avocado Method?
At its core, the Avocado Method is a loving interruption.A way to catch ourselves—gently and humorously—when we slip into people-pleasing, perfectionism, or over-performing.It’s a nervous system-friendly way to interrupt fawning behavior before it becomes a full-body override of who we really are.
It works like this:
You and someone you trust make a pact. When one of you starts to shrink, accommodate, contort to please others, or plaster on a smile that isn’t quite real—the other simply says: “Avocado.”
That’s it.
No shame. No fixing. Just a soft nudge. A shared code word.
It creates a pause.It’s a playful check-in that says: “Hey, you okay in there? Are you doing this for you… or for approval?” It works because it disarms the moment with a wink and a smile and a little giggle instead of a spotlight.
It works because it doesn’t judge. It works because it’s funny. It works because it gives your nervous system a moment to breathe before it defaults into old patterns.
Why Avocado?
Because it’s neutral. Because it’s impossible to be mad at an avocado.
Because it transforms the “Ugh, I’m doing it again” moment into a “Huh. Look at that” moment.
It’s not about mocking yourself. It’s about not abandoning yourself. It’s about shifting from harsh self-correction to friendly self-awareness.
A Little More About Rule #6
The line—“Don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously”—comes from the book The Art of Possibility. It’s “Rule #6,” and there’s no Rule #1–5 before it. That’s intentional. The idea is simple but freeing: It’s about shifting a mindset and perspective.
When we’re rigid, controlling, or perfectionistic, we shrink. When we loosen, we expand.
Taking yourself too seriously often looks like:
Gripping tightly to control
Confusing your performance with your worth
Feeling like every choice or mistake is high-stakes
Forgetting to laugh, breathe, or be fully human
Rule #6 is not a call to care less. It’s about creating space—for presence, humor, connection, and creativity. It’s a reminder that the world doesn’t end if you’re not perfect. In fact, it opens up.
What Happens When You Combine the Two?
When you blend The Avocado Method with Rule #6, you create something even more powerful:
You bring lightness to your self-awareness. You interrupt the spiral with humor, not judgment. You reclaim your space without losing your softness.
Instead of collapsing into shame or over-analyzing, you just say:
“Avocado.”
“Rule #6.”
Breathe. Smile. Giggle.
Healing Can Be Lighter
We don’t always have to dig, hustle, strive, or fix.
Sometimes we just need a wink. A code word. A pattern interrupt to breathe. And then to laugh. A playful way to say, I’m doing the thing again, and it’s okay. So next time you catch yourself over-explaining, caretaking, performing, or efforting…
Try it.
Say “Avocado.”
Then say “Rule #6.”
And smile, loosen your grip, and come back home to You.