Because I’m Me

For this week’s blog, a little pep talk because let’s be honest – who couldn’t use one once in a while?

In January we sit down and make our mental lists of resolutions and then announce to the world, our friends, the mirror: This year I will get FIT! I will be ORGANIZED! I will be someone who does yoga ALL THE TIME! I will STOP SUCKING at cleaning house! I WILL NOT talk to myself when walking the dog! I WILL be less weird!

Good for us, right? Sure! But along with these lofty goals (I mean come on – not talking to myself?!) comes the intrinsic implication that “I’m not quite good enough yet.” And it isn’t just this time of year. Many of us are constantly picking at ourselves. For being a less than perfect parent, not calling friends enough, exercising too irregularly … you get the point. We’re kind of hard on ourselves.

But we all have flaws, and for good reason. If we didn’t we’d all be buff, successful, domestic goddesses with perfect children and perfect relationships. Now where is the fun in that? Where is the satisfaction that comes from a good long emotional rant followed up by a pint of Ben and Jerry’s? Where is the humor in your (less than perfect) child repeating your (less than appropriate) profanity in context in front of the old lady at the grocery store? I mean shit! What would we complain about? Who would we judge? And what about the reality TV? Think about it!

So here is your pep talk, Your homework is to repeat it whenever you feel like wallowing in your shortcomings. It comes from the Dr. Seuess book Happy Birthday To You!:

Come on! Open your mouth and sound off at the sky!

Shout loud at the top of your voice “I AM I!

ME! I am I! And I may not know why

But I know that I like it.

Three cheers! I AM I!”

Today you are you! That is truer than true!

There is no one alive who is you-er than you!

Shout loud, “I am lucky to be what I am!

Thank goodness I’m not just a clam or a ham

Or a dusty old jar of sour gooseberry jam!

I am what I am! That’s a great thing to be!

If I say so myself HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!”

Personally, I like to visualize a nice gorilla chest beat too …. go on and give it a try. There really is no one you-er than you and that is a very, very good thing!