It doesn’t matter how much of a
“tough girl” or “tough guy” you are, getting the “brush off” is always
disappointing. Even when all the signs for the go-ahead run were there
and you went for it with confidence. Getting
the brush off in the end, it is still disappointing. Do you lack
confidence? Nah, I’d say not. Despite having confidence, it doesn’t
mean we can’t feel disappointment for a plan, or an expectation not to come to
fruition. I’ve recently hit a few roadblocks, both socially, and with my
home life.
I like to keep a busy schedule and
also spend a lot of time away from home. There is a constant desire and
strong need to get my room organized, finish unpacking boxes (I moved in
October), take several bags and boxes over to the local thrift shop, and to
simply, cook a nice meal that doesn’t come from the salad bar from the market,
or out of a container from the deli counter. (Actually, I “steamed” some
broccoli in the microwave this weekend, and baked a piece of pre-seasoned
chicken from the meat counter, that has to count a little, but I
digress).
The point is, I get home from a
house sitting gig and my bed is covered in clothes. I rush in, I rush out
– all week long, sometimes for weeks. I do a load of laundry in between
it all, grab what I need, and the rest goes on my bed. When I return
home, for two or three days, I sleep amongst a mountain of clothes in a small
crevasse between clothes and my head board. I’m disappointed in
myself. I failed to make keeping my room tidy and neat a priority in my
life. Do I have every intention of keeping up with laundry and making my
bed? Absolutely. Do I intentionally neglect the attention those
tasks require? Absolutely not, but – here’s the big “but” moment: I
simply chose to make other things a priority, and when the time is right for me
and I am ready to make my room a priority, then I will. The good news is,
that though my room continues to suffer from my lack of attention, I am
meanwhile, enjoying other aspects life has to offer, as opposed to coming home
and pining about the state of my room, or on when I will decide, if ever, to
make it a priority.
Now, to bring this point to the
social brush offs we very often encounter. When we meet people we seem to
connect with, as adults, it’s not always as easy to reach out a little to
make the connection last a little longer. Here’s an example. A few years
ago, when I first moved to Anchorage, I had a really difficult time meeting
people that I could ingratiate myself with and find my social niche. It
was terribly challenging, because as adults, we all run around taking care of
this, that, and the other. If we’re married, our families and jobs take
up the bulk, if not all our free time. Even now, as I have a network of
friends and individuals I associate with, there are always challenges when it
comes to setting up a time to actually get together. We always have good
intentions of making something happen, but often times, we all fall short, or
forget to get back and confirm a meet up for coffee, or drinks. I don’t
get offended or upset about it. Is it disappointing? Was I looking
forward to meeting up with the girls at our favorite breakfast spot?
Sure, but I know that life simply happens. That goes the same for
dating. If he or she doesn’t follow through, it’s disappointing, believe
me, I get it, but in the end, it’s their loss right? =D
We’ve all heard the expression, or
received the invitation to “Do Lunch,” at some point in our lives, right?
Now, I am a woman of action. Always have been and continue to be so
inclined. If I tell someone, “We should do lunch sometime.” I
actually mean it and I am prepared to get it down on my calendar.
Remember that we are here seeking to be our best selves, and
spending time seeking validation from others to see what we have to offer will not
only bring us down, but prevent us from being able to stand on our own, look in
the mirror and see what our real potential is, and how amazing we already are.
As a society, we move at a fast pace
and with all our technology, our peer-to-peer interfacing is becoming less and
less. We text, we “chat” via computer, or we email. Sometimes, it’s
nice to see a smiling face to brighten up a day that may be laden with work,
home, or social stresses. How many of us pass someone in the hall at work
and say something like “Good morning, how are ya?” and actually take the time
to 1) hear the answer, and 2) actually want to hear the truth about it?
If one of my co-workers is having a rough day in the office and the only
assistance I can offer is to let them bend my ear for a tick, then I am happy
to do so; even if it’s just to say “I am having a terribly challenging day,
just needed to say it out loud.”
As we go through our week, and if
nothing else, on Stay Sexy Thursdays, let’s make an effort to share the spirit
of what we celebrate every week of having the “Stay Sexy Attitude.” To
close this week’s post, I will do so with a few lines from songs and scriptures
I have enjoyed listening to and reading over the years. Kudos if you know
the song/artist/reference.
“I’m gonna smile my best
smile. I’m gonna laugh like it’s going out of style.”
“…it’ll never go away, until the
fear that you’ve been running from is finally embraced.”
“Consider the lilies how they
grow: they toil not, they spin not…And seek not what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.”
One quick shout out to my gal pal,
Trucker! No matter what happens in our lives, we always make one night a
month where we get together, eat sushi and get caught up! Love ya,
girl! Thanks for always choosing to make time and working with my insane
schedule! Someday, maybe, we will actually hit up a yoga class together.
