Here is a short, five-minute list of some of the things:
- accepting help from people who offer it and being able to ask for it when I am swamped and could use it;
- learning another language;
- being able to just say no when someone wants to 'trim' my hair;
- being able to show my love and appreciation for people who are in my life in ways that are understood by them;
- minority history in the US;
- make my own clothes.
In the past few years, I have gotten better at a few things:
- being able to do what is right for me/what I want rather than what pleases others (aren't I too old to be trying to please my parents?);
- being able to minimize my clothes to what works for me and my life;
- having courage to move to a new place even when things were not quite organized and I did not have a job ready;
- finding ways to do my hair that work for me - and being willing (for three years) to go bald (oh, how I loved that look, but wanting to grow a major afro is my next goal, but these 'trims' are keeping it from getting long and make me want to shave it again);
- having easy, quick meals that I can cook on work days and still have time to chill with the boo;
- I have become quite handy after living in a raggedy house for years and now can put together many thing and fix almost any items (non-electrical) in the place.
These lists were prompted by Jana's Sunday Stream of Consciousness post. The prompt was, "What new tricks would you like to learn or have you learned?"
You can see more posts, or link up your own five-minute brain dump on her site, Jana's Thinking Place.
There is a fine line between pleasing your parents and not disappointing them - that's where I try to stay. If I wanted t PLEASE my daddy, I'd still be a vegetarian. I won't disappoint him and tell him that I've tried alligator and frog legs. LOL!
ReplyDeleteLOL!!
DeleteSo true about the fine line.
So many things on your list are great. Being about to fix things about the house is awesome. I am getting better but still feel hopeless about some things. And learning how to accept help was always a huge stumbling block for me. But it is one of the things I have gotten better about doing the older I have gotten.
ReplyDeleteThe older I get, the better I get at saying no to different things, but I still need to work on asking for help with the things I still accept.
DeleteI'm with you on wanting to learn another language. I think that is one of the most important things we encourage our children to learn, too. Nice list, you'll certainly be a life-long learner with a list like that. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteLife-long learner indeed. That is what I try to push on my students, so hopefully I can do the same.
DeleteGreat list! I'm with you on the language thing--I speak French and English, but my French is rusty to say the least-I'd love to get it back in working order...:)
ReplyDeleteLove that you are (slightly) bilingual!
DeleteGreat list!
ReplyDeleteI totally need help allowing people to help me! I tend to not ask and then worry if I do.
I have been toying with the minimal clothes idea. I wear the same six outfits anyway; why not make it official. Good luck with the language.
-r
You should totally try the clothes idea. Try it for a week and see how you like it, then move up. Or you can jump into a month long challenge like I did. It really made me reconsider how I dress and what I have bought since then - only things that will go with everything else and that can be worn in multiple settings/ways.
DeleteLove your list! I especially fond of the 'trim' being on both, I know exactly how you feel. I'm trying to get to the big fluffy afro as well. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your fro! I will get to fluff one day... hopefully. For now, it is back to about two inches.
DeleteI need to stop trying to please my parents. Especially my dad, considering he's been dead for almost 15 years now...I think that ship has sailed! :P
ReplyDeleteIt is hard even when the people are physically near us to not try and do things as they would want us to. I don't know why.
Deletewonderful list! Based on your past accomplishments it seems that you are ready to tackle some new learning :)
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Fun to see both what you want to learn and things you've gotten better at. We're all a work in progress, aren't we?
ReplyDeleteI want to continue being a work in progress - hopefully one that keeps progressing and not becoming stagnant.
DeleteThanks for commenting!
I struggle with asking for help as well. Perhaps we'll both learn to do this. It would certainly make things a lot easier for me.
ReplyDeleteIt's sometimes a hard thing to admit when I need help.
Delete