I am frequently told that I lack the self-survival gene. I prefer to think of it as channeling my inner Lucy, as in the famous redhead. I am known to take a windy like "Wizard of Oz" kind of day and decided to repurpose some furniture (channeling my inner Joanna – HGTV, as well) with spray paint in the wind. Yes, I know. Not the smartest thing to do. But, I usually need & want to finish a project!
I usually dress in my homeless look clothes and sole ripped shoes! I got the look going on... holes in jeans and all. As I headed outside to paint beside the field that was cleared of the forrest. There may be a any given time – a snake the size of a crocodile, rodent as big as a dog or actual bobcat out there!
I am pretty certain that they will be looking at me with lust in their eyes, and maybe be licking their chops.
I just become dinner!
I would always run inside to get my husband who usually began to lecture me for wearing flip-flopped ripped shoes outside and my painting into the wind. Yea! Yea! Lets get back to the point? There is a snake or some other beast outside and I am trying to paint!
What did my husband do? He went outside and moved the furniture that I was painting away from the snake or other beast! He then proceeded to tell me to go inside and put on more appropriate shoes in case I fell from the flip-flop of the shoes and the wanted to bite my pretty little body or something! Well "little" might not be accurate description but sweet he phased it that way. Ugh. I would just shake my head and complied with his request and changed my shoes.
I returned to paint with the eyes in the back of my head... wide open and on high alert. After painting for a few minutes, I noticed that my rings were still on and my hands were white and my nails were well….a nice new shade. Hubby was always to the rescue. He would offered me some gloves. Manly gloves that were way too big. The tips of the fingers were flopping around. No thank you!
Can you picture this happening on “I Love Lucy?” Without even trying, this happens more often than not. I keep life interesting! Perhaps there is some truth to the “missing self-survival gene” theory. Either way, there never was a dull moment. I can be my own sitcom. And I love to laugh at myself…A LOT. This was not always the case.
I used to take myself and life in general way too seriously. I recently gave up my pursuit of perfection and instead now pursue progress as my measure of success. I freed myself from the foolish and harsh expectations that I had previously placed on myself. I had not realized that I was robbing myself of the joys of the moment that I was in by fretting over other moments: previous moments, future moments, what-if moments. Examples would be questioning how I had handled a conversation, hanging onto to anger, resentment or hurt feelings over situations that had already occurred, or thinking about situations to come. For instance if you have ever started composing an answer to someone while they are talking, you have effectively removed yourself from being present in the moment. As I pursue progress – as I work on me – I have started posing an accountability question to myself frequently throughout the day. I ask myself, “Are you present in this very moment?” This has proven in a very short time to be most effective at redirecting my focus.
Today was a success. Today I noticed things and people around me. It is a real thing. I have actually caught myself at times arriving at a destination that I was driving to and not recalling the journey in between. Wow. That is not even with the distraction of a cell phone. That is simply with the distraction of my own mind. Can you relate?
So I say... Spray paint in the wind. Paint in your good clothes. Run from a snake. Laugh at yourself.
Be the star of each episode of your life. Be present in this very moment of your life.
Later Alligator,
Nana
Comments