Just Another Day's Journey

I Choose Me!

We are taught in school to raise our hands quietly and wait for the teacher or speaker to choose us. We are taught not to blurt out the answers or run to the board first. We are taught to wait for one of our classmates to choose us to play on their dodgeball team. In junior high school and beyond, we are taught to raise our hands to volunteer for roles that we choose to do for leadership, fundraising or any other activity that needs people. The problem is that all this conditioning teaches us to not choose ourselves.

My lesson this week is learning to choose me not just as an entrepreneur but in every area of my life. We are taught that it is selfish to choose ourselves over our friends and neighbors. We are taught that if we give too many answers that no one else will have a chance so we are conditioned to back up, shrink and quiet down. I realized that it is not selfish for me to choose myself or to give an answer that I want to share with others. It’s actually selfish for me not to choose myself.

I choose me every time I sit down to eat my meals at reasonably scheduled times instead of working through my meal times. I choose me every time I take a needed break from a challenging project that has me puzzled. I choose me every time I follow up on call to a prospect rather than waiting for them to call me. I choose me every time I schedule date night instead of waiting for my husband to do it. I choose me every time the doctor tells me there are no more answers and I ask another question. I choose me every time I ask a question about something that I don’t understand. I choose me.

I will not wait for someone to notice my hand has been raised waiting to be picked to do something that I feel ready to do. I will not wait to eat when I am hungry because the project is not more important than my health. I will not wait to take a break when I see that I am approaching my breaking point. I will not wait for someone to call, text or email me back when I have the ability and presence of mind to do it. I will not wait for date night to be planned for me when I can make the plans for us. I will not wait for the doctor to find an answer when he says there are no more answers. I will not wait quietly and patiently to be chosen when I have the ability to choose myself.

I choose me. Who will you let choose for you?

Just another day’s journey of learning to choose me.