Yesterday one of my fellow bloggers (Rachel Wilkerson) made a sweet post about owning things in life; specifically, owning things that we might not always talk about. After at least 20 hours of thought, I’ve decided to pin up her awesome graphic and own a few things.
I am competitive when it comes to running (and, okay, some other things too) and sometimes I am disappointed when I don’t meet my goals. I’m going to just own that, and it’s part of the process that I use when planning races and competing. I don’t want to hear that I shouldn’t be disappointed when I get third place instead of first; I am, and I don’t care. Later, I’ll use that disappointment to fuel a ridiculously awesome comeback.
I don’t tolerate truly mean people. I totally agree that to err is human and to forgive is divine, and I feel that I’ve improved my forgiving skills greatly in the past few years. Maybe that’s just growing up. But though I might forgive, I simply don’t give people who have attacked/wronged/hurt me chances to do it again. There are some people in life that are awful, and like cancer I think they should be cut out before they have the chance to spread to my brain. I don’t hold grudges, I get rid of the grudge-causers. Sorry I’m not sorry.
I like how I look. I spent quite a few years recently fretting over the fact that my lower jaw is positioned too far back in my skull. I attended consultations about having surgery that involved two years of braces and four teeth pulled in order to fix this problem. I worried about being unphotogenic. But you know what? I think I look just fine, and I own the fact that I’m not the most photogenic person ever (and I wouldn’t be a supermodel even if I had a perfect chin).
I don’t believe in “accepting” an unhealthy lifestyle. I think that everyone should learn to love themselves for who they are, but I don’t think that “accepting” certain health issues just because they’re the status quo is okay—for instance, I think obesity is bad for people no matter how much an individual accepts it. I also think that just about everyone has the time and skills to make lifestyle improvements, even if they won’t admit it. Thirty minutes of exercise a day can do wonders for your physical and mental health. I get that not everyone is slim and slender, but there’s just no excuse not to be healthy.
I will always have things I want to improve about myself. Currently I’m working toward becoming more toned, even though I frequently hear that I’m “totally in shape.” I hope that I’ll always be working toward fitness improvements. I’m not too hard on myself—I’m dedicated! I own it!
Sometimes I’m too sensitive. This manifests in lots of different ways, from crying at movies to dwelling on cruel things that people have said to me. I don’t have thick skin, and I’m aware that sometimes I take things too personally. But from now on, I’m going to own it while finding a good balance. Heartless people are no fun, but I could stand to toughen up a little. I know it. I own it. I’m going to practice it, starting now.
I’m a homebody, and I don’t like parties. There you have it: I just don’t like going out very much. I’m not a big drinker, and house parties are my kryptonite. I love being at home. Not sorry!
My life is awesome. Minor complaints aside, I have a really, really cool life. I have the best family and friends ever, I’m employed, my fiance is one of the best guys on the planet, and I spend most of my time doing things that I really love to do. Since last summer I’ve had a new perspective on life, which is that most of the things that you can turn into catastrophic events just aren’t. My wedding is not the end-all, be-all event of the century; I’m in control of it, not the other way around. Having a bad race causes me some disappointment, but I’ve learned how to use it constructively. I have my days, but you know what? My life is great. And I’m going to own that.
And last, but not least:
I am not the same person I was in college. When I started college, I was a wreck. I was almost completely consumed by homesickness and the misery of having a terrible roommate. I was negative, I had a bleak outlook on life, and I often blamed my unhappiness on the situation instead of working to improve it. Not anymore. I am just not that person. I work hard to maintain a positive outlook, I own up to my mistakes, and I motivate myself to succeed rather than waiting for everyone else to help. I’m open to resolving old issues and problems (as long as the person involved isn’t truly terrible, as some people are) and I think happiness and love are more important than dwelling on bad things that have happened. I have my flaws and my contradictions, but so does everyone else. I might be sensitive, but I’m not so fragile anymore. I own that. You should, too.
There you have it! That’s what I’m owning. That’s what I’m not sorry for. And now, readers, what do you own? Feel free to comment!
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