FIVE THINGS I HATE

My topic for today is to write about five things I hate.  As I outlined the things about which I would write, I found this to be a humbling topic. I found a mixture of things that I hate about myself and others, and was able to have a little heart-to-heart with myself about how I can create a better me from the things I hate in myself and others.

PRETENTIOUSNESS:   Be yourself.  It doesn’t matter who you are, what you are,  just own it.  Pretending to be something you aren’t is not attractive. I hope that I am never guilty of trying to be someone or something I am not.   I make every possible endeavor to be genuine, and I choose to not knowingly associate myself with people who don’t extend the same courtesy.

THE GYM: Yes, I have started going back to the gym on a more regular schedule.  I hate it.  I hate the time that it takes, I hate everything except the results.   I have to remind myself that even Muhammad Ali himself stated that he hated every single, solitary minute of training, but that it was worth it to be “the best”.   It’s easy to be lazy, but I guess I hate myself a little more when I look in the mirror and the man staring back at me has clearly been too lazy.  

LIVING BEYOND MY MEANS: I think is something of which most of us are guilty. I confess that I’m certainly guilty.  I live on plastic way too much.   But, I’m taking steps to get that under control.  I’m eliminating unnecessary expenses and curbing my spending.  I hate being in debt, and it’s time to do something about it.

FEELING OUT OF CONTROL: I didn’t even drink for the first time until I was 35—for one main reason, I was afraid to be out of control.  But, as a general rule, I hate being unprepared, out of control, looking foolish.    I pride myself on being organized, prepared and ready.  I hate the feeling of not knowing or being prepared in any aspect of my life.   I feel like I need to be in control of myself in almost every area of my life.  Maybe I should relent just a little, but it’s still hard to relinquish control.

BEING A PICKY EATER:  This is one of the things I hate most in my own personal life.  This may sound trite or mundane, but for whatever reason, the list of foods that I don’t like probably far outnumbers the list of foods that I do like.  Topping my list of foods that I hate: mayo, ketchup, sour cream, Indian food, Chinese (I’m ok with a buffet, because I can usually find something I’ll eat), Eggs (it’s ok if they are in things—like cake, etc) and sushi.   I hate the fact that I am so picky, but I have tried the things I don’t like, and despite my desire to not be a picky eater, I remain picky about what I’ll eat.  I’ve heard that taste buds change as we get older, so maybe, one day, I will be less picky.   I’ve always wondered WHY I’m like this.   Of all the things about me, this has been one of the most difficult to grasp.

Here’s my confession:  I could spend time being self-loathing and beating myself up for the things about myself that I “hate” or trying to change other people for the things about them that aren’t like I would want them to be, but the truth is, I have to just work on myself and do my best to improve the areas of my life where I fall short.   Sometimes it gets frustrating when I see that some things are of my own doing or, worse, are out of my control.