I don’t know if it’s the Catholic in me, the mother in me, the daughter in me or just the woman in me, but I spend a fair percentage of each day feeling guilty about one thing or another.
Whether it’s my reluctance to buy into purchasing organic products, the poison I pay a service to put on my lawn to keep it green that is probably leaching into my children’s drinking water, or that I am morally and ethically opposed to wet cat food although it would probably make her a lot less fat, I feel bad about a lot of stuff.
And so I made a list:
- Cheating during spin class
- Not drinking enough water
- Drinking too much wine
- Not doing Kegels
- Hitting the snooze button
- Not writing in my journal
- Blowing off writing for sleep
- Watching three episodes of “Scandal” in a row
- Spending $300 every time I go to Target even if itβs just to return something
- Not reading as much to my younger children as I did with their older siblings
- Only getting past Chapter 2 of A Wrinkle in Time with my youngest child
- The 500 pages left to read in Middlemarch
- The brown sugar I put in my oatmeal
- The half and half I put in my coffee
- Knowing more about Kelly Ripa than Edward Snowden
- The 20,000 (legit) emails in my work inbox
- That my children had to live through a divorce
- The amount of money I spend on my hair annually
- All the unread books on my nightstand
- Not sending birthday cards
- Having a closet full of grey, black and camel-colored clothing
- Those 10 extra pounds that climbed on for the ride a few years ago
- That I donβt read the whole newspaper like I used to each day
- Buying plastic water bottles
- My carbon footprint
- Leaving the water running while I brush my teeth
- Not flossing every night
- The half-finished sweater lying in my crawl space I never finished knitting
- Wanting to be as thin as Kelly Ripa
- Not cleaning the kitty litter box every day
- Being freaked out by online dating
- Making my kids feel like they don’t measure up
- That I ever wished my kids would grow up
- MyΒ constant struggle with forgiveness
- Judging a book by its cover
- My big ego
- My bouts with narcissism
- Not going to Mass
- Letting my fourth child off the Catholic hook
- All the chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese I’ve fed to my children over the course of 20+ years.
- This list
What makes you feel bad? Tell me so I can feel better.
I really love this one. I think it’s a common dialog in us women, which we learn to live with each and every day. Once you realize that it’s actually ongoing, maybe we can finally find some humor in it…
You asked for our list.. I feel guilty: that I don’t wake up with my son who leaves the house at 6:15 every day. I spend so much time with Sam and the children get jealous. I don’t make more nutritious meals sometimes. I have not gotten my weight down to where it should be. I have not launched my clothing line on a bigger scale yet. I don’t write thank you notes like I should. My house is overrun with clutter and projects… that is just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t worry girlfriend, you are doing a wonderful job. I think guilt is part of our DNA, thank God, so is a great sense of humor and self-forgiveness! xoxoxox
Kim … thanks for sharing your guilt list. I am right there with the not-so-nutritious meals and stalled efforts for growing my business. Thanks for the love … xoxo
I am finally learning at 47 that Guilt is a waste of time.
Make a list of all your positives and start with:
* Hot Mom
* Great sense of humor
* Great hair
* Kindness (anyone with that much guilt is a kind person)
*……..etc.
Thanks for the kind words, lady. Honestly, I don’t let all the guilt trip me up too much any more, either. Maybe an upcoming posts will be: What I’m Rocking. π
1. Paying for a gym that I don’t go to.
2. Spending $200 every time I walk into Costco even though there’s only me and one son home.
3. Not learning a second language.
4. Being jealous that your writing comes so easily to you!
Barb … so funny, as always. Just read this essay this morning on jealousy (“We are all savages inside.”) written by Cheryl Strayed. It made me feel a little more human. Enjoy: http://therumpus.net/2011/03/dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-69-we-are-all-savages-inside/
All true! Including Kimberly’s thank-you notes and clutter. Guilty as charged. We are all dancing to the same music! Hang in there.
Thank you notes! I am the worst at getting those out. Thanks for the reminder that we’re all living under the spectre of guilt. π
The only things I can’t relate to are; spin class (don’t do that), meeting a deadline (not a writer), on line dating and litter box cleaning (don’t have a cat).
Nice to know my guilt is in very good company.
things i can relate to: Scandal marathons, my distaste for A Wrinkle in Time (all those bizarre names), overspending at Target (and Kohl’s). I don’t think I want to be as thin as Kelly Rippa — maybe just bacause I would need to work really hard eating junk to gain 15 pounds :o)
Truth be told, I just really want Kelly’s wardrobe (and subsequent income to afford it all). Happy to hear I’m not the only one with a Target problem … π
I have the same guilt and can add
-not working out enough
-my daily latte fix
-watching too much reality TV.
I recently wrote a list of all the little things that make me happy. Try a list like that and it will make you feel better.
I was thinking about balancing all this me-bashing with something a little more upbeat! Cindy, do you have a blog where I can see your list? Share the link!
You make me laugh!!
Almost all of the above!!
Welcome, Patty! I think we’re in good company … π
Mine is the guilt of not being motivated enough to make such a list because maybe it would help. And yah, #21 – “Mom, what are you Goth always dressing in all that black?” And thanks for another entertaining read, Amy!
Susan! Whenever I shop with my girls and start fondling the sleeve of, say a grey cardigan, they’re like, “You already own it.” So I’ll move to the black one. “You own that one, too,” they snarl. Sheesh … π