Disappoint - they will survive

 Making time for yourself in this bustling, noisy world we live in can be challenging. How do we find and commit to "me" time?  Let's face it, we are on/in demand to every family member and 4-legged beast that lives under our roof. We are connected by blood, love, and wireless-ly, there is scarcely a moment of solitude. 

I know of people who set their alarm clocks earlier  in order to get some quiet time, to read, run, swim, write or meditate. Many folks are then catching a shut-eye in their cars over the lunch hour or on the train home at the end of the day. 

We have been raised to be polite and respectful of others and feel horribly guilty to put ourselves first. Why is it easier to disappoint Me rather than You? Honouring yourself takes time and dedication. If we can't find the time and reason to celebrate who we are, why should anyone else? (Click to Tweet)

See Cheryl Richardson's video and article on Let Me Disappoint You.

Perfection isn't Pretty

Perfection is hard work, hard dirty work. There are certain things that we all consider valuable enough that we always want to give it our best shot. Some will shine their bikes, like they’ve never seen a splatter of mud. The horsepower doesn’t change, the accessories don’t change, but gosh they are just prettier when they are shiny! I’ve been known to polish up my stainless steel appliances until there is not a single fingerprint anywhere. Well, we all know that only lasts a moment.

In a recent article, statistics said that women will only apply for a position if they feel that they have all the qualifications. Men on the other hand, feel that they only need to have 60% of the requirements*. In this day of fluid characteristics, I am well aware that not all men or women are this way. But let’s just say that no amount of body fat has prevented some people from parading around in their shorts…and admiring themselves in front of a mirror.

Holding up Perfection is a futile task. Where’s the fun? We are not perfect and neither are our partners, children, colleagues or pets. It is a difficult thing to constantly strive for the impossible and downright mean to expect it from those around us. There is a huge difference in expecting the best effort from someone and from setting the bar so unrealistically high that the one we're watching will give up in despair. “What’s the point?”, they ask,"he/she will never be happy with my result".

Let’s just choose ONE thing that we want to work on today, to be the best that we can be, and worry about the rest tomorrow. Maybe today, we could just work on that smile to a stranger. The mud, fingerprints, and messy teenage rooms can wait.

Surrender to the im-perfect and have fun!

Perfection in Canmore, AB.

* Dr. Ann Daly, former Associate Professor @ University of Texas quoting a Hewlett-Packard study, citing from a McKinsey Quarterly.

Be afraid, be really afraid

It is hard to be zen-like through our day.

We are in a culture that has been enlightened about the harm caused to our environment by plastic bags. The other day, I carried my own fabric bag to a retail store and made some purchases. Then I stood there, waiting. The young female behind the cash, stood there waiting too.

I asked her in a calm manner, "When a customer brings their own bag, do they no longer get their purchases packed?" She stared back. "Just a question", I said. (Of course at the back of my mind I'm thinking to myself, haven't I just saved this store the cost of their bag. Should I not expect some service?) "Just a question" I repeated, waiting to see if perhaps her response would indicate that it was store policy not to touch a customer's personal property.

But her words flabbergasted me, "You could have asked" she said. WHAT? Since when do I have to request customer service? I am annoyed that service has deteriorated to this point. It seems that the customer is NOT always right.

Don't go to a store with your own bag and expect to be served, you too might be disappointed. I am beginning to understand why people joyously shop on their computers at midnight.

When I shared this unhappy interaction with a colleague, she told me of one of her latest experience. She asked an employee at a local grocery store where she could find a certain product. His answer was "I don't know, I only work here." No, he was not trying to be amusing.

Sometimes, I don't think even Rumi could help me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi