It takes very little to make me feel guilty.
Maybe it was my strict Catholic upbringing, but I often feel guilty for doing things that are in any way for me or about me – it feels too selfish. Moms are supposed to be completely self-sacrificing, aren’t we? I guess that’s why it’s so easy for me to come up with a surefire “guilty” list.
These are my Top 10:
1. Wanting to sit down once in awhile without an animal (cat or dog or both) immediately jumping into my lap. “Me” time always turns into “us” time!
2. Not answering the phone (I have Caller ID) when it’s someone I do want to talk to but I’m too tired or too busy when they call.
3. Mindlessly surfing the Internet when there are other things I should be doing.
4. Sleeping in occasionally.
5. Spending money.
6. Getting takeout more than once a week.
7. Wanting to be alone sometimes.
8. Running late.
9. Eating too much when I’m stressed.
10. Not keeping the house spotlessly clean.
It seems to me, though, that most of these “guilty” actions relate either to self-preservation – wanting to do something that feels good (if only for the moment) – or to just having too much to do. Why should I feel guilty about either of these things?
Things like stress eating aren’t healthy, though. I will look for another way to deal with it (even if it doesn’t taste nearly as good!).
Whew! I feel less guilty already. After all, it’s not a bad thing to want to maintain your sanity, and it’s not my fault that there’s not enough time in the day.
Still, it’s one thing to know this in my head, and another thing to change my emotional reactions to this stuff.
But unless someone can prove to me that it’s illegal to go to Burger King, it’s getting crossed off my “guilty” list right now!