I have been on this journey for about 5 years now and I am still trying to answer that question. That along with a laundry list of others: What makes me happy? What makes me shine? What am I good at? What am I not good at?? Am I enough? Am I too much? Who am I?? I have really had some time to think about all of these questions lately and I am not sure I like some of my own answers, and if I want to take the next step in fixing me, I have to face these demons and move forward.
When I started, my goal was to become a better me. Well, when I look at that in a broad sense, I guess saying please and thank you more or opening doors for strangers or even buying a coffee for the person in line behind me makes me “better”, right? Or in a more physical sense, losing 40 lbs would make me “better” – but that didn’t and still doesn’t feel like enough (especially when you consider I have gained back about 18 of that 40). Then I tried to work on the inside, which led to being employee of the quarter. That felt nice and I would consider that #becomingabetterme as well, wouldn’t you? All of those changes left me feeling like I was still not advancing like I wanted.
Since the start of changing is realizing what NEEDS changed, it might be best to begin with the 4th question. What am I not good at? (what are my weaknesses)
The first weakness I am facing here now, and have been for as long as I can remember, is how I handle stress and chaos in my life. My first reaction is ALWAYS “what did I do wrong?” which I guess is better than looking outward for a person/situation to push the blame off on. The next thing I do is internalize and over think EVERY moment that led up to the situation and try to figure out what I could have done differently to avoid said issue… and then when I cant find one, I get more mad that it isn’t there, making myself feel even more like a failure. Take, for example, the major plumbing issues at the end of the year – into the first of this year… when it happened I went over and over in my head what I done wrong to cause these problem. I know how ridiculous that sounds, but it is the truth. I did… and that is just one example. I do this with everything, relationships, work situations, and family issues…
The next thing I do is grab on tight to what I can, as to avoid change. I see this in my children at times and I so sorry I passed that trait on. When things are not going so well I hold on tight to the things I do have complete control over. My house (now that is back up and running)… is the simplest example. I can control where things are, so I reorganize, clear and clean everything, because I have control over that. By the way, it has never been so clean. (sorry, but I had to throw that in there, because it is true) When I feel my world spinning out of control I all but bubble wrap what I can and hold it tight so it doesn’t spiral also.
I also have a habit of not letting go. I hold on, even to my own determent. I have seen, in the last few years, people around me who did not care about my well-being but rather what they have wanted from me and how much they could get. Sadly, I allowed this. I have always been scared to walk away from friends or family for fear of hurting them, regardless of what they are doing to me. I always feel like if I walk away, they may need me and I wont be there. I know that sounds silly, but its how I feel. I guess it goes the other way too… maybe one day I will need them again??
So, now that I have opened up, and said out loud what some of those areas are, I can get to the other questions.
What makes me happy: being able to work my dream job (and do it well), continue to guide my kids, my grandbaby, and having a healthy home.
What makes me shine: knowing that I have friends that I can count on, being able to help those I care about, making friendships that last, and having wonderful members of my family who want to be around me, not what I can give them.
What am I good at: making people smile, being a good listener, being a good parent, being a good friend.
Am I enough: yep
Am I too much: yep
Who am I: I am me. Unapologetically, complete, unabridged, and openly ME.
So although I am putting this in blog form, it is more of a group of statements to myself (that hopefully I will listen to moving forward), IT IS NOT ALWAYS MY FAULT! I DONT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE IN CONTROL! THINGS WILL NOT ALWAYS WORK OUT HOW I WANT!
I promised in the beginning I would be honest (I think I said I would show the good, the bad, and the ugly of this journey to be specific) and show all sides of what I go through as I try to be the best version of me both inward and outwardly and here it is. I am a mess and I know it… but I am trying. I am always working on me.
So I guess the simple answer to my crazy big question is – I cannot change the world around me, I cannot fix what others decide is not broken. What I can do to fix me is, I can keep #movingforward, I can #keeptrying, and I can continue #becomingabetterme and now that I have faced these weaknesses, I think I can do it.