Great Article: When Your Biggest Problem is YOU

July 11th, 2009

I read a really amazing article on cnn.com today.  Here is my favorite excerpt…

Anticipation, anticipation is making me late…

“One of my theories,” says the evil Count in William Goldman’s classic story “The Princess Bride,” “is that pain involves anticipation.” He then leaves the captive hero, Westley, chained next to the Machine, a torture device the Count has promised to use on Westley later.

An albino dungeon-keeper offers Westley a way out. “You deserve better than what’s coming,” he says in a moment of compassion. “Please let me kill you. You’ll thank me, I swear.” Only Westley’s superhuman fortitude keeps him from accepting.

The Count’s theory about anticipation is right on the money. And self-sabotage is the mind’s way of accepting the albino’s offer. Like Whitney or Olga, we may screw up in precisely the places we want most to succeed, not realizing that we’re subconsciously trying to force a resolution, to stop the anxious feeling that’s hanging over our heads, to lose the job rather than continue to worry about a pink slip.

To resolve the situation, we must first recognize that we’re using counterphobic mechanisms. And that means punching through denial.”

Click here to read the full article by Martha Beck.

The second half of 2009

July 2nd, 2009

So here we are in July of 2009.  The year is now officially half over which means I need to get cracking on the rest of my “to do before the end of this year” list that I created in my head back in January.  So let’s see…

Get a new job – check!

Get some freaking boundaries – check!

Be more open-minded and less judgmental of others – check!

Become more aware of my eating habits – 1/2 check, almost to a full check

New wardrobe – check!  (though this is a work in progress forever, am I right, girls?)

New iPhone – check!  Thanks Honey!

And now for the ones that aren’t done yet…

Find a tattoo design

New hairstyle

Wear more makeup – eh, about a quarter of the way there, at least I now own makeup, just need to get it from the drawer on to my face

Learn how to cook

Yoga

So, yeah, lots of work to do.  Fun stuff though, huh?  Yeah, I’m pretty jazzed now.  Ok, see you later, off to play with some eye shadow.

    About

    My name is Shari, just left my twenties and I finally feel "old enough". No kids, just a great husband who is different from me in just enough ways to keep it interesting. We don't have any pets, but reading through just a few posts will reveal that I'm obsessed with all things kitty related. What else? Born in the midwest, raised from age 6 out here in the Southwest, I love all things old fashioned, but I can't go a day without my google reader.

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