Hey, friends, guess who's home? Yup. Me!! We climbed into our own bed last night just before midnight. It was a long day of travel but we survived. And what a fabulous trip!! Hope to share some of our fun in an upcoming post. We slept really good last night and have felt pretty fair today. I am beginning to run out of steam now so this will be rapido! But I am already one day late in getting this month's Where Bloggers Live post out.
Where Bloggers Live
The “Where Bloggers Live” series was created by Bettye at Fashion Schlub to be something like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! Bettye recognized how most of us enjoy peeking behind the scenes and looking inside people’s homes, interests, and lives. So, "Where Bloggers Live" was born. Every month these blogging buddies share their lives and their thoughts in posts based on specific prompts.
This month we are writing about 'my favorite things about me.' I actually wrote up my list on the plane between London and Atlanta. Typing anything on my phone is very hard for me. I don't use my thumbs to type on my phone although my granddaughter Cadence is always trying to get me to. Instead I use one index finger which makes it very slow going.
I hope you will join me in visiting the blogs of my WBL friends to check out their favorite things about themselves.
Daenel
@ Living
Outside the Stacks
Bettye
@ Fashion Schlub
Jody
@ Jody's Touch of
Style
Em
@ Dust and Dog Hair
Sally
@ Within a
World of My Own
My Favorite Things About Me!!
I've never been my own biggest fan. Never have had a whole lot of self-confidence. And still don't in some areas of my life. But when I was working, I was confident about the librarian that I was. I always did my best and worked very hard and was well regarded among the other librarians and teachers in my district. I think that helped me to become more confident overall.
I don't think baby-boomers were showered with praise the way children of more contemporary generations are. My parents loved me but didn't say it often (until much later in my life) and weren't especially complimentary. Certainly not about my looks. And little more about anything else. So I didn't grow up with a strong sense of self.
It has taken years to come to like myself better, to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I am happy to report that at 68 years old, I am finally there. Sure, when I look in the mirror I still see the crinkles and dots, as Cami and Lucia call wrinkles and sunspots. My cellulite hasn't suddenly gone invisible, my hair is more salt than pepper these days. But rather than constantly focusing on those imperfections that come with age, I have begun choosing to celebrate my good health and ability to still do most everything I want to.
So this list is less about the external, physical things I like about myself and more about the intrinsic. Here's what I came up with.
In this season of life, I like that I:
- have control over most of my days, most of the hours of each day. I am my own boss and I get to decide (usually after some consultation with PC) what I am and am not going to do each day.
- am courageous enough to try new things. In fact, I often seek out new experiences.
- similarly, I am not (deathly) afraid to step out of my comfort zone.
- allow myself to enjoy things without feeling (too) much guilt: taking a nap, indulging in a slow day, crafting or writing rather than cleaning or finding some other kind of chore to do.
- have let go of perfection...in every aspect of my life. Which supports my Word of the Year (WOTY) 'flow.' I am getting less bent out of shape about things that aren't quite perfect. One of the ways I see this most clearly is in my enjoyment of hobbies. Instead of fretting over a scrapbook page or painting, collage or even when writing something, I am appreciating the experience, pushing myself to just 'do it' and not worry if my final product is perfect.
- no longer worry about every bite I put in my mouth. After years of calorie counting and calculating Weight Watchers points, I can at last drink a chocolate-Nutella-peanut butter milkshake, savor every sip and think very little about it afterward...except for remembering how I obnoxiously slurped up the last drops very noisily in front of all the tourists at the Cotswolds.
- am blessed to be PC's wife.
- thankful to be Brennyn and Lauren's mom.
- delight in being a Mimi and a Gabba.
- try to protect my good health with exercise, vitamins, rest, sunshine, downtime enjoying the activities that give me the most pleasure.
- am a loving, considerate, kind old soul. There is always room for improvement but all together I am pretty okay.
A lot of what is the best about me are the people I love in my life.
Your Turn
What would your list of favorite things about you look like? Would we have any common items on our lists?
I am uploading a photo of how this list looked when I typed it - hunt and peck - on my phone on the plane. Thank goodness, tonight when I was feeling less than motivated, I could decipher what I was trying to say!
Thank you for stopping by, sweet friends. Hoping to catch up on my blog reading over the next few days. And then I am subbing for 3 days in a kindergarten class. Glutton for punishment I am!
Off to bed. Got all of our laundry done but too tired to fold and put it away. There's always tomorrow.
Hugs and kisses,
I enjoyed seeing what you like about yourself and your life at this stage of the game. Some things endure over time, but many things do change, and focusing on where we are right now and what we value about it seems wise. It's too easy to make comparisons that rob us of joy, so being able to just say "I like where I am right now" can keep us centered and grateful.
ReplyDeleteYour number one is a favorite of mine! It has taken me a LIFETIME to learn that one!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I can see all of the qualities you wrote about being absolutely true and am grateful you gave yourself that grace in self reflection. YOU ARE a lovely, considerate soul...one who builds genuine connections with people through the words you write here and through the thoughtful comments you leave as you visit others in this group; you leave behind warm rays of sunlight!
Just as you are blessed to have all the people you noted in your list, I have no doubt they feel the same about you.
Funny about some families ability to shower compliments. I have a relative who absolutely does not do that...makes a point to note that accomplishment is what is expected and rewarding it takes away the virtue.
Also, having seen your darling toddler photos I can see you were just as stunning as a child as you are as a mature, seasoned woman (one who inspired me to embrace my gray!)
I think you're right, though, about that generation...my dad was always telling me to put on makeup. I'd be going out and he would say, "you need more rouge!" Can you imagine... most dads would say, "go wash that stuff off your face." Haha.
Happy you are safely home and can enjoy the memories of a wonderful adventure...looking forward to reading all about it!!
Glad you made it home safe and sound. I've seen your pictures on Instagram and look forward to maybe hearing more here.
ReplyDeleteSame with the thumb typing. I just never could get the hang of it...and now especially, with WACK vision, it's easier to hold the phone up close to my face (like an old person) with one hand than two.
And yeah, I always feel bad for children born into families who just don't ever say anything affirming to them. My parents were not effusive...in fact, thinking back, I can't really remember many/any positive comments. I do remember "why all Bs and not As'" a lot. Sheesh. Why couldn't it be "look at all those Bs and no Cs or Ds!" Ugh. Anyway.
But yeah, at out age, we definitely should not be feeling GUILT about just doing what we feel like doing...even if that means doing NOTHING.
xoxo Bettye
Isn't it wonderful when we start to feel more comfortable in our skin and begin loving ourselves. My parents are both loving and complimentary but my mom was always self conscious about her appearance and it kinda trickled into me. But I am getting better with feeling more confident in my appearance. It's a work in progress.
ReplyDeleteOh this is good! I love this idea because so often we tend to be critical of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to write this post every year...because it helps us so much. Giving up that whole perfection thing is key...lifelong learning for sure, but key.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jodie