Building a better narrative
The last week of school flew by and I'm knee-deep in the first weekend of the Summer Holiday. We've already had a few little adventures and we're planning more. I'm trying to be all of the things that they tell you to be - open and present and brave - and I'm starting to feel the effect this mindset is having on myself and on our lives.
Today is a good example. We heard about this Pop Up Event with the Hello Kitty Café food truck coming to the Houston area. Nora and I woke up, slumped around until I had the adequate amount of coffee and then we drove over to this store location. I didn't overthink it. Didn't over plan. We got there and were far enough back in line that I realized we maybe could've gotten there earlier. As it stood, we were in line an hour.
A year ago I would've walked up to that gathering, no matter how tame and friendly and fast moving, and I would've turned around and talked Nora into something else. No joke. It would have been a disaster. We were in the sun, no food packed, no water, no chairs. I would've seen the negatives and ran. The tricky thing about that sort of approach is that it's not wrong. Walking away could've been a valid choice. A case could've been made and accepted, but I wouldn't have been able to spend the morning watching my kid get increasingly excited as we inched toward the food truck. We wouldn't have made friends with the people in line with us. Nora and a couple other girls became fast friends in the way that only children can and they kept themselves busy.
We had a good time.
And, no I'm not going to dwell on the "things we missed out on" when my depression was bad and my anxiety in full control, but I will admit that I've come a long way. As a person. As a parent. I may not have every little detail under control before I go somewhere anymore, but I do go more places. Having confidence in my ability to figure shit out increases my willingness to try new things.
Maybe you're like me thinking, "I'd like to try new things." And you put that out into the Universe, but it never really takes off and you're not sure why. It can be frustrating. You want better, more, whatever, but can't take that jump into The New. What I didn't realize, and what might be news to you, is that it's not just an openness to new things, but believing that you're capable of trying, and succeeding, in the New Things.
One good bout of "I'm no good at this" during an adventure will shut down Adventure Town Train in a second. Because our tricky little brains are looking for a reason to stay home. Stay safe. Because as miserable as we are haunting our lives, it's what we know and that is soothing.
Don't be a ghost in your own future. Burn some sage and throw a bit of salt around. Clear that negativity out. There's still time.
Today is a good example. We heard about this Pop Up Event with the Hello Kitty Café food truck coming to the Houston area. Nora and I woke up, slumped around until I had the adequate amount of coffee and then we drove over to this store location. I didn't overthink it. Didn't over plan. We got there and were far enough back in line that I realized we maybe could've gotten there earlier. As it stood, we were in line an hour.
A year ago I would've walked up to that gathering, no matter how tame and friendly and fast moving, and I would've turned around and talked Nora into something else. No joke. It would have been a disaster. We were in the sun, no food packed, no water, no chairs. I would've seen the negatives and ran. The tricky thing about that sort of approach is that it's not wrong. Walking away could've been a valid choice. A case could've been made and accepted, but I wouldn't have been able to spend the morning watching my kid get increasingly excited as we inched toward the food truck. We wouldn't have made friends with the people in line with us. Nora and a couple other girls became fast friends in the way that only children can and they kept themselves busy.
We had a good time.
And, no I'm not going to dwell on the "things we missed out on" when my depression was bad and my anxiety in full control, but I will admit that I've come a long way. As a person. As a parent. I may not have every little detail under control before I go somewhere anymore, but I do go more places. Having confidence in my ability to figure shit out increases my willingness to try new things.
Maybe you're like me thinking, "I'd like to try new things." And you put that out into the Universe, but it never really takes off and you're not sure why. It can be frustrating. You want better, more, whatever, but can't take that jump into The New. What I didn't realize, and what might be news to you, is that it's not just an openness to new things, but believing that you're capable of trying, and succeeding, in the New Things.
One good bout of "I'm no good at this" during an adventure will shut down Adventure Town Train in a second. Because our tricky little brains are looking for a reason to stay home. Stay safe. Because as miserable as we are haunting our lives, it's what we know and that is soothing.
Don't be a ghost in your own future. Burn some sage and throw a bit of salt around. Clear that negativity out. There's still time.
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