New Mantra: You Got a Good Life

  

You Got a Good Life!

 

 

Lately I find myself impersonating Michael Scott multiple times. Every single day. Do you know the Office episode where Michael is "Prison Mike"?? Prison Mike  ends up trying to convince the office employees that life in the office is better than life in prison. At one point, he looks like he's near tears, choking up, and breathily says, "You got a good life!"  This  may be my all time favorite episode. I'm sorry, but the Office is just not the same without Steve Carell. I still watch it faithfully, of course. But, I miss the hell out of Michael Scott. There is no replacement.

 

Every time I say this, "You got a good life!!!" it makes me smile, crack up, cry from joy, and also cry because it's so damn true. It's so true. I am so blessed. Unbelievably blessed. My life is abundant with love, family, support, comfort, freedom, and joy. Lately I've been failing to focus on this joy and instead my perspective is so freaking negative. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of focusing on what I don't have - what I'm not doing - what I haven't accomplished - what I should be doing - who I should be. This is a terrible habit and mindset that traps me. And I'm fed up with it. Why do I treat myself like this? Why do I beat myself up?

 

My husband gave me a great pep talk today and he said that he wished that I could see myself through his eyes. And it really hit home to me. I wish that I could! I wish that I could see myself through his lens, or that of my mom, or my sisters, or anyone else who loves me and sees the best in me! I honestly wish that I could have a Freaky Friday type moment where I could step outside of my own head and see how others percieve me. You have no idea how hard I am on myself up here in my stupid consciousness.

 

This is my dilemma. Enough with the negative. I'm ready to shift. I want to enjoy my life. I want to focus on joy. On the love that makes my heart want to explode every single time that I look at my husband's face and into my little toddler's deep ocean blue eyes.

 

So, I'm ready. To recommit to mindfulness. To slow down. To stop rushing. To take care of myself. To offer myself the compassion that I reserve for all others. To practice every day so that I can be better than I used to be. To do my best at all times. To just sit. To observe life rather than projecting assumptions upon myself and others. To open up my heart.

 

I'm so blessed to have this time where my only job is to take care of my boy. I don't need to punish myself with guilt for having this luxury. This is my Life's Work. And, "You got a good life!!!!"

 

Thanks, Prison Mike.