It's All About Me (How's This for Narcissism)

I've tried my hand at a few things in my relatively short life. And while I might feel I haven't met with much success, I know I've learned a lot about who I am. I'm not good at everything I try, but at least I try, and that has made all the difference.

Take for instance my hair. If you know me, and know me well, you know that I don't like to get my hair done, something that has led me to become very inventive and skilled with the scissors. I've permed, colored and cut my own hair on numerous occasions. In fact, throughout my twenties and early thirties I only visited a hair dresser three times. No, honestly. Three times was it. That ended last year when I took a good look at my hair, spent twenty bucks for a trim and learned that doing hair isn't something I'm good at.

I went to college to study nursing. While on that journey I tried my hand at phlebotomy (drawing blood). After about my 200th blood draw, my cold sweat and quivering stomach taught me that maybe being around blood and guts isn't something I'm good at either. It's just a shame it took me more than two years and 200 vials of blood to learn that lesson.

So what am I good at? Well good is such a subjective word, but then again, I don't know what other word to use so we'll just go with it.

I'm good at making low-fat cookies. Low-fat cookies that taste good. No really, they do. Years of experimenting with recipes have paid off and now my family can snack on guilt-free chocolate chip cookies.

I'm good at being a stay-at-home mom. True, I could be better at ironing and making dinner, but life isn't all about pressed shirts and pot roast. I'm good at staying home with my kids, cleaning the house and being content with my life. I don't want "more" or dream of something more "exciting." Sure, I dream of being a writer, but that's just a dream, not reality and I know the difference.

I have a good intuition and I'm good at following it. I've learned over the years not to question that gut instinct.

Anyone who has been late (argh!) to dinner at my house will argue that this is not true, but I'm good at being flexible and patient. Parenting my children--especially Keelie-- has honed this skill in me. Though I'm passionate and vocal, I'm pretty easy going. At least I think so.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that one of the hardest lessons to learn in life is to love yourself. Over the years I've learned to (or at least I'm beginning to learn to) like myself for who I am. And while tomorrow I might cringe when I re-read this post, I have to say that I like myself pretty much the way I am, though I completely understand that there's always room for improvement. I know what I can and cannot do. I can't be something I'm not--I won't be something I'm not. What you see is what you get because I'm a heart-on-my-sleeve kind of girl.

How about you? Do you like you?