Last September I pledged to stop trying so hard to be good enough. Instead, inspired by my good friend, I’m trying to be bad enough. Bad enough that I know I have lived my life well and fully. Bad enough that I don’t look back on this time in another 15 years and lament how I wasted it being so very good.
Trying to be bad enough doesn’t come naturally to me. For a good portion of my life my identity was all wrapped up in being the good girl, and making other people happy. In many ways it still is. But I’m trying, man. I’m really, really trying. Today I’m sharing some of the ways that I’m being bad enough.
This is me, being bad enough
Nine Ways to be Bad Enough
- This post was not scheduled in advance to run at exactly 6:00am Pacific time. When it was 11:30pm last night and I hadn’t started writing it yet, I decided that it could wait until tomorrow while I caught up on Glee.
- Yesterday I declined to complete a work task that had been assigned to me, when it became clear just how very much effort it was going to entail. It turns out you can just say no to some things. Liberating!
- Yoga pants. I love them. I wear them, even though I haven’t done yoga in ages. I don’t care if they’re less than fashionable.
- After a stint of trying to prepare a hot breakfast every day, I have embraced cold cereal as our morning meal of choice. It’s fast. It’s easy. The kids like it – and they can even make it themselves. Score one for me!
- I have discovered the wonder of Saturday morning cartoons. Plunk your kids in front of the TV when they wake up, and voila, you get an extra hour of sleep. Genius!
- I regularly spoil my dinner by eating chocolate. And I don’t even feel bad about it.
- I have a cleaning lady who comes every two weeks to help keep my house from becoming completely unlivable. I have stopped cleaning before she comes. Let her judge my slovenly ways, I can take it.
- I have let myself off the hook on some volunteer commitments. It feels good to let those things go.
- For the first time in my life, I quit a job, and resigned as the webmaster for my local arts council. I no longer had the time for it. It was really freeing. Everyone understood why. It was really good.
What about you – how are you being bad enough?
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This week I’m being bad by blowing off all my finals and reading the Hunger Games trilogy instead. At this point I could phone it in and still graduate with honors, so I have totally mentally checked out. And I don’t even feel bad about it!
TheFeministBreeder’s last post … “OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD”
Twitter: AmberStrocel
says:
Rock on.
You have just inspired me to eat another chocolate biscuits and leave the dishes in the sink for someone else (AHEM!), while I, wait… brace yourself….do some thermodynamics. Okay, so good habits die hard, but I’m trying! And the chocolate is really good – its a double chocolate leibniz biscuit. And I didn’t share them! It’s good to be bad – no?
Lucy Carl’s last post … Writing Towards Home
So proud of you!
You’ve counselled me many times to say no to things. Isn’t it great?! If my plan goes ahead, soon, I’ll be lieing around eating bon bons watching the tumbleweed blow through the house
LOVE the cleaning lady and YES to Saturday cartoons!
harriet Fancott’s last post … The darndest things
Twitter: AmberStrocel
says:
Tumbleweed? You are clearly dreaming big!
i take full responsibility for everything BUT NOT THE YOGA PANTS
GET A GRIP WOMAN!
pomomama’s last post … midlife monday: U.R.OK
Twitter: thejaninefowler
says:
Sebastian just hit an age where he can hang out in the living room watching Sesame Street for an hour without me being afraid of him killing himself. I give him a cup of milk, set up the TV, make sure the doors are dead-bolted, and back to bed I go most mornings! He sometimes stops into my room to nurse but usually it’s a couple of sucks and then he scampers back out to watch his “Elmo-mo!” The TV will usually get me a shower too, or sometimes I save that time to do dishes without him trying to climb into the dishwasher. I have completely given up any TV shame.
I think I’m plenty bad without having to try, haha!
Janine’s last post … Chase Me Home