wlotus | Life's Too Short (Reply)

The author of the photoblog Chookooloonks has a list of things for which life is too short. I like her list. I wonder what would be on mine.

Let's see. Life is too short for:

Putting myself down. Enough people have done that to me and I did it to myself for more than enough years. I've put in more than enough time in the land of the self-haters.

Believing the unfair, uninformed criticisms of others. Sometimes it is difficult for me to differentiate between constructive and destructive criticism, but as soon as I realize it is destructive, that is the time to discard it, never to look back.

Keeping a hairstyle or look for the sake of pleasing others. Years ago I came to the conclusion (finally, hallelujah!) I ought to be comfortable and like what I see when I look in the mirror. It's my body, not those other people who had so much to say about what my clothes and/or hair "should" be!

Staying in relationship with abusive or even caustic people. You don't owe anyone your time and attention, least of all people whose behaviors and types of "humor" are like nails on a chalkboard to your senses. Solitude isn't your only other option, but even being alone is better than being around people like that.

Begging people to like you. There are plenty who will like you for who you are; spend your time looking for and then nurturing relationships with them.

Waiting for people to change. Not long ago I realized we adults are pretty much who we are. We sometimes have epiphanies, but those are rare, not the norm. So I can either choose to deal with a person as they are, or I can choose to remove myself from their circle of influence. If who they are does not mesh with what I want or need in my life, the latter is the best choice.

Waiting for the next shoe to drop. I have been conditioned to live life on pins and needles. "Don't get too comfortable; you never know what catastrophe is just around the corner, and you need to be ready for it." Well, what good is the here and now and all of the preparations I have made for today, if I can't relax and enjoy it? For the past few weeks I have been teaching myself to enjoy the present and take an, "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," attitude about future trials. I prepare for the worst, but I don't live in active anticipation of it any longer.

What is on your list?