You know those people who – pardon the gross expression – ‘step into shit?’ Even though the saying would suggest otherwise, these are the people who experience just total and complete dumb luck. Good fortune and amazing things seemingly fall into their laps, often without much effort on their end.
Yeah, well. I ain’t one of those people. And I’m willing to bet most of you guys aren’t either.
But if you happen to be reading this and you ARE one of those ‘step in shit’ types?
it’s true. i do.
I write about this a lot, but we’re always looking at other people – ones we know well, ones we kinda know, and ones we don’t know at all – to compare and contrast our lives versus theirs. SHOULD we do that? God, no! I told you fools to stop trying to measure up to your peers! But let’s be real: we ALL do it. And then we start asking the ‘why not me?’-type questions.
You know:
- Why don’t I have her natural beauty, perfect skin and razor-sharp bone structure?
- Why can’t I meet a nice guy like that?
- Why am I living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to pay bills when they have all that family money they didn’t even EARN?
- Why does he always get EVERYTHING he wants?
- Why can’t I have an amazing job like hers?
- Why do I never win anything like they do?
- Why do I have to work out like a lunatic and diet every day just to maintain my weight when she’s just naturally skinny without doing ANYTHING?
- Why can’t I have a marriage like theirs?
- Why can they get pregnant so easily and it’s not happening for us?
- Why can’t I be that tall?
- Why isn’t my house as big as theirs?
- Why can’t I afford lavish vacations like they can?
Why not me?
Whenever I start to feel this way – which is often – I immediately check myself. Spoiler alert: I don’t have it all. I’m not wealthy. I struggle to meet decent men. I don’t always have the best luck or get the things in life I want. I have physical flaws and imperfections I wish I didn’t.
But then I start to feel foolish and angry at myself because I have no reason whatsoever to throw a pity party. Despite the aforementioned, I have things you can’t put a price tag on. I have parents that love me and would walk to the ends of the earth for me. I have an incredible family (immediate + extended) that knows how to have fun but loves as hard as they party. I am blessed with so many great friends who make life exponentially better. I am about to celebrate my 5-year anniversary at a job that stimulates and challenges me and makes me feel important and recognized for my hard work. I live on the beach, for Christ’s sake. I have a blog/writing hobby that provides me with joy and a much-needed creative outlet.
When I think about these things (along with the other fortunes I have), I realize I AM “rich.” I AM lucky. It’s a serious reality check that I shouldn’t feel sorry for myself simply because I don’t have everything that others have.
I have enough.
No, actually, I have a lot.
So next time you want to ask yourself, “Why not me?” think about whether someone could be looking at *your* life and wishing they had the things you did.