Sometimes I'm very hard on myself, and getting ready to start school again full time has me in a bit of a tizzy, so today I started listing all the stuff I've done that I think is cool. It's a good pick-me-up, and you should do it too. Then tell me about it so I'll know how great you are.
In no particular order:
1. Raised and trained a puppy.
2. Taught myself to knit.
3. Crocheted some extremely complicated, beautiful things.
4. Learned to tat (and crochet) from my momma.
5. Saw the ocean floor in a submersible.
6. Been a published author of scientific papers, one of which won an award.
7. Lived in a foreign country.
8. Taught high school.
9. Taught in a foreign language.
10. Studied alligator genetics and mussel microclimates.
11. Cultivated my love of solo hiking despite my fear of injury due to my insane clumsiness and crappy knees.
12. Joined Seal Team.
13. Refinished furniture.
14. Owned and operated a full suite of yard maintenance equipment, which makes me feel capable.
15. Identified and get consistent results from my favorite homemade bread recipe.
16. Read a bajillion (the actual number) books.
17. Took myself out to dinner and to events without feeling awkward or self-conscious.
18. Been roofied (not cool), but had a safe rendezvous with a friend who saved my rear. Rescued by steam punks. Lived, unaccosted, to tell the tale. Not the best thing on this list, but a reminder of the terrificness of my friends and having a back-up plan.
19. Been debt free as an adult (I didn't say this was true now, but it's happened.)
20. Buzzed my own hair. Had blue and pink hair.
21.Applied to and got into grad school.
22. Been married.
23. Been divorced (not fun to live through, but it was the right choice and a brave one for both of us, I think.)
24. Lived through the death of my mom.
25. Managed to work with my sister to deal with my dad's illness and financial situation.
26. Graduated from college.
27. Graduate from grad school.
28. Got a fellowship.
29. Caught an alligator with my bare hands.
30. Seen the ocean floor from a submersible.
31. Jumped off a perfectly good boat to go snorkeling.
32. Vacationed in Belize.
33. Flew to St. Louis to visit a college with $23 and no credit card.
34. Finally learned how to be a good friend to women despite my hang-ups.
35. Took a leap and fell in love again.
36. Made elaborate pop-up cards.
37. Put myself into therapy when I needed to be there and getting back out when I could handle myself.
38. Stayed up all night with my nephew when he was a baby, and maintaining that relationship.
39. Learned to swim at 25 despite almost drowning when I was a kid and therefore having a phobia of being in water over my head.
40. Completed a little less than half of a Tough Mudder.
41. Experienced the great American road trip with my best friend, and my mom.
42. Got through college on scholarships and a lot of jobs.
43. Dealt blackjack to nuns.
44. Perfected the art of clearing my yard with a machete.
45. Realized it's okay to like TV.
46. Had songs written about me.
47. Forgave my parents.
48. Got tattoos.
49. Pierced my nose at 19 (quite taboo in '99!) and got a new facial piercing at 31, even though I was worried about feeling silly.
When all you have to do is study for a summer class, lists like these - gratefulness lists, accomplishments, lists of aspirations, etc. can help put things in perspective. In fact, I feel better already.
In no particular order:
1. Raised and trained a puppy.
2. Taught myself to knit.
3. Crocheted some extremely complicated, beautiful things.
4. Learned to tat (and crochet) from my momma.
5. Saw the ocean floor in a submersible.
6. Been a published author of scientific papers, one of which won an award.
7. Lived in a foreign country.
8. Taught high school.
9. Taught in a foreign language.
10. Studied alligator genetics and mussel microclimates.
11. Cultivated my love of solo hiking despite my fear of injury due to my insane clumsiness and crappy knees.
12. Joined Seal Team.
13. Refinished furniture.
14. Owned and operated a full suite of yard maintenance equipment, which makes me feel capable.
15. Identified and get consistent results from my favorite homemade bread recipe.
16. Read a bajillion (the actual number) books.
17. Took myself out to dinner and to events without feeling awkward or self-conscious.
18. Been roofied (not cool), but had a safe rendezvous with a friend who saved my rear. Rescued by steam punks. Lived, unaccosted, to tell the tale. Not the best thing on this list, but a reminder of the terrificness of my friends and having a back-up plan.
19. Been debt free as an adult (I didn't say this was true now, but it's happened.)
20. Buzzed my own hair. Had blue and pink hair.
21.Applied to and got into grad school.
22. Been married.
23. Been divorced (not fun to live through, but it was the right choice and a brave one for both of us, I think.)
24. Lived through the death of my mom.
25. Managed to work with my sister to deal with my dad's illness and financial situation.
26. Graduated from college.
27. Graduate from grad school.
28. Got a fellowship.
29. Caught an alligator with my bare hands.
30. Seen the ocean floor from a submersible.
31. Jumped off a perfectly good boat to go snorkeling.
32. Vacationed in Belize.
33. Flew to St. Louis to visit a college with $23 and no credit card.
34. Finally learned how to be a good friend to women despite my hang-ups.
35. Took a leap and fell in love again.
36. Made elaborate pop-up cards.
37. Put myself into therapy when I needed to be there and getting back out when I could handle myself.
38. Stayed up all night with my nephew when he was a baby, and maintaining that relationship.
39. Learned to swim at 25 despite almost drowning when I was a kid and therefore having a phobia of being in water over my head.
40. Completed a little less than half of a Tough Mudder.
41. Experienced the great American road trip with my best friend, and my mom.
42. Got through college on scholarships and a lot of jobs.
43. Dealt blackjack to nuns.
44. Perfected the art of clearing my yard with a machete.
45. Realized it's okay to like TV.
46. Had songs written about me.
47. Forgave my parents.
48. Got tattoos.
49. Pierced my nose at 19 (quite taboo in '99!) and got a new facial piercing at 31, even though I was worried about feeling silly.
When all you have to do is study for a summer class, lists like these - gratefulness lists, accomplishments, lists of aspirations, etc. can help put things in perspective. In fact, I feel better already.
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