perfection, importance, broccoli, and stickers
Lately, I think, there has been a surge of people wanting to be perfect. It's what we all strive for, right?
But if being "perfect" means selling your soul to the fashion police, the food police, Jillian Michaels, the couponing police, Dr. Phil, and the Junior League, count me out!
Most days I'm pretty darn happy with where I am in life, but the ever-so-smug Perfect Police always shakes its head because I buy regular chicken because I can't afford organic / haven't exercised in almost a week / didn't grade last week's homework / forgot to recycle / spent an hour stalking people I barely know on Facebook.
I've decided - no more! Perfect Police, no matter what I do you'll find some reason why I don't measure up, so I'm not going to play by your rules anymore. There are some non-compromisable things that are important to me and for those I set the bar. As for the rest, I think I saw a space for them right between your container of soy milk and the newest Better Homes and Gardens.
For me:
* I will practice my faith the best that I can and, though probably distracted, I will make a conscious effort towards this every day.
* My husband will know that he is loved no matter what.
* Our kids (God-willing, one day) may not be the best-dressed on the block and will probably have a PB&J dinner now and then, but they will say please and thank you, will have concern for others and the less-fortunate, and will have time to play.
* I have a healthy lifestyle, but I don't make health my life. I exercise, but sometimes I put it off because I'd rather watch reruns of How I Met Your Mother. I buy broccoli almost every week, but if it's in the same cart as a box of chocolate-chip granola bars I'm OK with that.
* I sing and I miss notes because I'm not really paying that close of attention.
* I'm trying to get out of student debt and this I am hell-bent on. If you tell me to start paying for cable / a smart phone / grass-fed chicken / a nicer computer because those things are "cool" and "important" and you can't believe I don't have $10 to spare, I might just lose it.
* I am a pretty good teacher and I plan everything out, then fly by the seat of my pants. I'm not really willing to negotiate on either end... somehow I make it work and my kids end up learning something or other.
* I am so proud of my community service club that I started at work. Go ahead and call me a goody-two-shoes, I'm fine with it. We have a darn good time.
So although I'm not getting on the everyone-be-green bandwagon and singing kum-ba-ya during daily yoga class, I'm happy the way I am. What's important to me, faith in God and relationships, is more important than which cow my milk came from. (You drink milk?! Aaaawwww...) And if those greener things in life are important to you, that's awesome and I applaud you. Everyone has their thing and this just isn't mine.
So if you're keeping score, it's Perfect Police : 109, Me: 3.
But if you let me keep score I'll probably just give everyone a sticker and let them go home.
Whose rules are we playing by again?
But if being "perfect" means selling your soul to the fashion police, the food police, Jillian Michaels, the couponing police, Dr. Phil, and the Junior League, count me out!
Most days I'm pretty darn happy with where I am in life, but the ever-so-smug Perfect Police always shakes its head because I buy regular chicken because I can't afford organic / haven't exercised in almost a week / didn't grade last week's homework / forgot to recycle / spent an hour stalking people I barely know on Facebook.
I've decided - no more! Perfect Police, no matter what I do you'll find some reason why I don't measure up, so I'm not going to play by your rules anymore. There are some non-compromisable things that are important to me and for those I set the bar. As for the rest, I think I saw a space for them right between your container of soy milk and the newest Better Homes and Gardens.
For me:
* I will practice my faith the best that I can and, though probably distracted, I will make a conscious effort towards this every day.
* My husband will know that he is loved no matter what.
* Our kids (God-willing, one day) may not be the best-dressed on the block and will probably have a PB&J dinner now and then, but they will say please and thank you, will have concern for others and the less-fortunate, and will have time to play.
* I have a healthy lifestyle, but I don't make health my life. I exercise, but sometimes I put it off because I'd rather watch reruns of How I Met Your Mother. I buy broccoli almost every week, but if it's in the same cart as a box of chocolate-chip granola bars I'm OK with that.
* I sing and I miss notes because I'm not really paying that close of attention.
* I'm trying to get out of student debt and this I am hell-bent on. If you tell me to start paying for cable / a smart phone / grass-fed chicken / a nicer computer because those things are "cool" and "important" and you can't believe I don't have $10 to spare, I might just lose it.
* I am a pretty good teacher and I plan everything out, then fly by the seat of my pants. I'm not really willing to negotiate on either end... somehow I make it work and my kids end up learning something or other.
* I am so proud of my community service club that I started at work. Go ahead and call me a goody-two-shoes, I'm fine with it. We have a darn good time.
So although I'm not getting on the everyone-be-green bandwagon and singing kum-ba-ya during daily yoga class, I'm happy the way I am. What's important to me, faith in God and relationships, is more important than which cow my milk came from. (You drink milk?! Aaaawwww...) And if those greener things in life are important to you, that's awesome and I applaud you. Everyone has their thing and this just isn't mine.
So if you're keeping score, it's Perfect Police : 109, Me: 3.
But if you let me keep score I'll probably just give everyone a sticker and let them go home.
Whose rules are we playing by again?