In the great big scheme of things, I’m not too surprised I didn’t win the lottery. Recognizing that the odds weren’t really with me was the first clue. The fact that I didn’t buy a ticket was the second. I would have liked to have won though – and I don’t really believe anyone who says otherwise. Come on – it immediately takes the term ‘winning’ away from Charlie Sheen, so right off the bat, it’s a good thing.
I think we kid ourselves a lot – and not always in a way intended to make us laugh. The biggest fibs are not those we tell others, it’s the ones we tell ourselves. The reasons are understandable – we don’t want to change something about our environment or ourselves, the risk of admitting the truth is too great – sort of like touching the house of cards upon which our ego strength rests. Is it necessary to always be truthful to one’s self? I think it’s a moot question, for I doubt that the most self-actualized person (Dalai Lama excluded) can lay claim to complete inner candor. I do think though that as we face spring cleaning – of our yards, closets, garages, etc – we may want to do a little dusting off of some of the lines we’ve been repeating in our heads and see if we can’t box them up and put them away. Here’s my top ten list so far – in no particular order…
1. I’m my own worst critic (no I’m not – I only self-flagellate to the point where I feel some discomfort)
2. It doesn’t matter
3. I need those shoes
4. I can handle it – whatever ‘it’ may be
5. I’ll do it tomorrow
6. I’m not good enough
7. I’m too good
8. It doesn’t bother me – rolls off my back like water off of a duck
9. I don’t care
10. It’s just how I am
The corollary of course is that the flip side of such statements are undeniable truths. The tricky part is figuring out where the two meet. I’ll let you know when I figure that out – after all, spring cleaning typically takes more than a day if it is to be done well. Who am I kidding? I haven’t even started yet.
Waiting for the Karma Truck 
So correct…”It’s just the way I am.. ” 😉
Isn’t it though? One of my favorite choruses (though I hate it when other people say it, you know? ) 🙂 Thanks for writing!
I’ll only admit to number 3. See, done cleaning. Fast and easy. Thanks for today’s truths and wisdom. The simultaneous chuckle is the icing on the cake 🙂
You were always able to sift through stuff quicker than me Jo! 🙂
Whenever I am attempting to rationalize making a bad decision I argue that it will make me happy and life is to short to not be happy. You can make a lot of bad decisions using that logic. The flaw in the logic is that they might bring you short term happiness, but it always results in long term unhappiness. I am guilty on some level on everything that you listed excepted perhaps #3. I am pretty good at letting go of shoes. At least I have that going for me.
Oh, my hunch is that you have a lot going for you – over and above your ability to let go of shoes (which in and of itself is an enviable quality). Our self-rationalizations are truly brilliant, and at times necessary. It’s those other times – as you note above – when the choices we make are not necessarily selected for the right reasons, but for the ones we want to justify them, when things get a little tricky. Thanks so much for your comments – as always! 🙂
Way too early to be laughing this hard. (especially #1 in parens)
Way too early not to be (laughing that is),,,
There you go again, getting the last word in! (still laughing)