Intro:
The New Year had me thinking a lot about goals, values, ambitions, motivations, life, and how excited I was to wear my new fuzzy socks. With all the talk of “look how far you’ve come in a year” and “can you believe that was only 1 year ago” I found myself even more reflective and nearly bubbling over with blog ideas – two of which involved writing about goals and values.
At my old job, we had a list of working norms – kind of like guiding values – and each day at our morning huddle, we would say what working norm we were focusing on that day. I loved that idea. I mean, obviously, in theory, you were living into every positive attribute every day you walked into the office, but how nice it was to really put your heart and soul behind one guiding value each week.
For this reason, I’ve decided to dedicate a new series of “Res” posts to my own kind of working norms – my own mini-resolutions. You don’t have to buy into any of these. You don’t have to make your own. But maybe at some point, it’ll make you think about what it would look like to radically change your life one week at a time.
Res 18: - Use the Good Silverware
My dad loves to cook. As far as I can remember, he’s always loved to cook. He grows and cans vegetables from his garden, constantly creates new dishes in the kitchen, and – thanks to a well-thought out gift from my brothers – is now even a beer-brewing connoisseur.
Almost every time we talk on the phone, he’s telling me about a new recipe he tried or reminding me how much homemade food he has in the freezer for the next time I’m home or the next time he drives to New York City with a cooler. That “next time” was last weekend. Like a squirrel packing away acorns for winter, I carried a cooler of “Dad dishes” from the car to my freezer, sliding lasagna next to homemade sauce next to seafood soup. I would never have to grocery shop again!
A few days later, I took stock of the situation. I was in a gold mine of frozen deliciousness. There was so much excitement hovering around the homemade dishes that I was almost afraid to thaw anything. Almost afraid to eat these gourmet meals without having a special occasion. I almost wanted to wait until the time was right.
I picked a container of twice baked potatoes out of the freezer and transferred it to my shelf in the refrigerator.
Almost.
Resolution #18: Use the Good Silverware
I think we often think we have to wait for the perfect moment to do something. Much like witches from old cartoons who need the second full moon after the third snow storm in the month of December during a year that ends in 5, I think we often feel like we need all the stars to align.
We buy that cute new dress but it hangs in our closet, “waiting” for the perfect occasion. Girl, put on that dress. Twirl in a circle and stare in the mirror at all the beautiful that you are. There is no more time to wait around for the perfect occasion. This moment is perfect. This occasion is your life.
You don’t need an excuse to bust out the good silverware, to wear that cute headband, to eat a twice baked potato. You don’t need to have a hidden stash of good things saved up for a special occasion. That’s only preventing yourself from believing that good things can happen again.
Stock piling ideas, dresses, or frozen food only prevents you from creating space for more ideas, more clothing, and more really delicious frozen food. Find those things that make you feel happy and confident and bold and beautiful. And then use them. Use the hell out of them every day and do not wait for permission. You don’t need an excuse to use the fancy plates. You don’t need an excuse to be overwhelmingly happy.
I thawed the potatoes two days after I got them. And you know what? They were amazing.
Today is your special occasion. Make it count.
Love always,
Liz
