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Ruminations on Another Year

October 23rd, 2006 at 12:21 am

I feel good about growing older in general. I was very glad to leave my twenties. The way I look at it, the older one is the less they freak out.

That’s what made me bummed that this was not my favorite Birthday. Now, I almost didn’t want to mention it because it seemed like a pretty cheap way to get people to give me birthday greetings. Hence the lack of posts.

Most folks probably have a general idea of what they are doing in their lives that works for them, and a general idea of what’s not working for them. If they don’t, well, I think these things are worth articulating for ourselves. One of my biggest pet peeves is people complaining about the same thing year after year without doing something to change it. It is just a sad thing…if someone keeps complaining about the same job every time you see them, it’s just funky. They either need to change their head or work environment so that work is better, or leave the job. It may not be a quick thing to fix, but after realizing they feel the way they do, they should start taking concrete steps to change. If the job is fine and they need to just stop complaining so much, that’s a step taken as well.

I have three things that I have been complaining about for a couple years now, and I haven’t managed to change my life in these areas. The particular topics aren’t important, especially in that they are not money or Challenge related. I’m just really disappointed in myself that in these areas I haven’t either made peace or changed things or a combination.

Birthdays are a time of taking stock and right now I’m not so thrilled with what I see. Some things I do in my life I’m proud of. But most of these things are things that have been around a while, such as frugality or sobriety. I’d like to have something newer to be proud of myself for and I’d like to not be having the same baggage I had before; I want new baggage.

(A plain banana split at an ice cream place in town was $8.75. Isn’t that crazy? No, I didn’t have it.)

13 Responses to “Ruminations on Another Year”

  1. LuxLiving Says:
    1161560750

    8.75??? Outrageous!

    HB to ya!

    A time of self-appraisal can be quite enlightening. I've got some things to work on myself! Where o where has all my creativity gone??????????

  2. bluegrassmom Says:
    1161562108

    $8.75???? That's crazy!!!!

    By the way Happy Birthday!

  3. Amber Says:
    1161563577

    happy birthday Smile

  4. Jane Says:
    1161566081

    First off - Happy Birthday!

    And my take on the difficulty of making changes we want to make: I think sometimes we think we're fully ready for a change but some part of us is not quite there yet. In some very major areas (sobriety and frugality) you've obviously accomplished much. Is it possible that in those areas you were really, really fully wanting the change so that's why you could make it? But that in current challenges you are still convincing yourself, and that's why you plan and take steps and keep trying but you're not there yet? There's something I've known 12-steppers to say to their stuggling fellows "I wish you desperation". Sometimes it takes us a while to get that determination or desire or, yes, even desperation. I have no doubt at all that when the time is right for you you'll make whatever changes you wish to. You've already got a track record of accomplishment, remember!

  5. Bookie Says:
    1161566185

    Happy Birthday, indeed.

    The usual advice I get when I get "irritable, restless, and discontent" with myself or my lot in life is to make a gratitude list. That does seem to be an effective (if temporary) approach to attitude adjustment.

    Quite honestly, one of the benefits I value in maturity is a greater degree of self-acceptance. I'm no longer so quick to criticize when I fall short of an intended goal. Self-deprecation, self-criticism, and perfectionism are all barriers to any progress for me. When I treat my shortcomings with a little sympathy and smidgen of humor, I tend to do somewhat better next time around.

    Hang in there. People tell me it gets better, or maybe I do. Smile

  6. tinapbeana Says:
    1161574979

    happy birthday, lr! as my father says "May the best of your past be the worst of your future". this is something i try to keep in mind whenever i start to get down or frustrated with my progress in my journey.

  7. boomeyers Says:
    1161575128

    HB!
    I don't think it matters our age. We know what we need to do and its not getting done until we decide inside ourselves we are going to do it. I hate asking myself all the time "Is it time?" Something has to kick start us, whether it be an incident or a good ole kicking ourselves in the butt!

  8. Ima saver Says:
    1161618308

    Happy birthday, hope you have a great new year!

  9. fern Says:
    1161619127

    birthdays are something i look forward to less and less each year!

  10. scottish girl Says:
    1161621128

    Happy Birthday!

  11. debtfreeme Says:
    1161629850

    Feliz Cumpleanos!

  12. Thrifty Ray Says:
    1161659228

    HB to you!!!

    I am struggling with one of these darn life perplexities (is that even a word?) myself.....but MY DOCTOR has made it a priority now and gave me a goal of 6 months or else... ELSE? I dont think I want to find out what that is!

    Of course, on day ONE I fall down stairs and will now be unable to start the walking piece for a little while!!! (NO it wasnt on purpose! geeze)

  13. baselle Says:
    1161664471

    HB and all that...

    FWIW, my thirties were not particularly pleasant, but my forties have been a lot better. Like bookie, I seem to be a lot more accepting of myself and willing to enjoy the 75% of what is going right rather than b&tching about the 25% going wrong. Of course when the 25% going wrong is leaking its problems into the rest of my life its time for a change.

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