Identity theft. It's a scary thought and a very serious reality for many people. We all know, as consumers, that we are at risk for this very real and very personal breach of security. But it wasn't until my own encounter with identity theft that a much bigger problem was brought to my attention.
I'm unaware of exactly how criminals can obtain our personal information. I am, however, under the impression that this is far easier to do than most of us even know. I considered myself fairly diligent in monitoring my credit. For example, the government requires that each of the credit reporting agencies permit you to request one free credit report every 12 months (you can do this by going to www.annualcreditreport.com). And I did this annually. I'd request my reports, print them out and review them carefully to be sure nothing seemed out of place. This is all well and good, but what about the 364 days between now and when I can request my report again? Of course, there are a million credit monitoring products out there. I have no experience with any of them (pretty obvious statement given my recent problems), so that research is up to you. But this call to action isn't really about the initial theft of ones identity. My concern at this point is how retailers are handling the information provided to them on credit applications.
The call I received today was from the New Accounts Department at Target. They were calling me to verify some information on the application I completed on Sunday for their Target Red Card. While I will admit that I shop at Target on a regular basis, I knew for a fact that I wasn't there on Sunday and that I absolutely didn't apply for a credit card. When I discovered the application was made in Oklahoma City, I knew my problem was a little bigger than I was prepared for. I was informed that the application was flagged because the name on the application didn't exactly match the name on my credit report. After several minutes of verifying that the thieves had all of my personal information (name, date of birth, address and social security number), I was told that Target had a copy of their driver's license and would provide it to police if it was requested. A whole new set of concerns sunk in at that moment and I asked if the information on the driver's license was also mine. Shockingly, the answer was no.
What?!?! So, you're telling me that someone provided you with all of my personal information and, when asked for ID, they produced identification that had a different name, address and date of birth on it?!? Yes, that was exactly what she was telling me. She proceeded to explain that, just because the person's identification and credit application information don't match, that does not keep them from processing the application. The ONLY reason this application was flagged as potentially fraudulent was because the dumb ass attempting to steal my identity had spelled my name wrong.
At this point, the only logical explanation I can come up with is that they are required to process all applications in order to avoid any kind of lawsuit suggesting that they might be prejudiced in any way. But shouldn't this be common sense?
When all is said and done with this entire matter, I can assure you that I will be writing a strongly worded letter to the fine people at Target to let them know my feelings on this issue. Please don't get me wrong... it is highly unlikely that I will ever stop shopping there... I love Target. My 'call to action' is not for a boycott of the store. But I do think that changes need to be made in how they process credit applications. By handling them this way, they are greatly increasing the risk of identity theft... and pissing off their loyal patrons for their stupidity.
Of course, this begs the bigger question... how many other retailers handle credit applications in this manner? You'd better believe I'll be doing my research to find out whether this is a nationwide standard or if it is only certain retailers. And if this is simply the standard set by the industry, I can assure you that the fine people who make our laws and set our regulations will be getting a few letters from me as well.
So my call to action is this: Do your research, know how the system works and, if you find other retailers that handle these things in this manner, please speak up, write a letter and let these establishments know that, as well-informed consumers, we don't appreciate their lack of due diligence when it comes to matters related to identity theft.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Learning something new
Have you learned something new recently? I have... and it's a pretty cool feeling.
I don't claim to be an expert on anything. Well, that's not exactly true... I suppose I like to give people the impression that I'm an expert on lots of things. But I don't think anyone actually believes it... I know I certainly don't. While I love to be the person that people come to for answers, which seems to be the case far more often at the office than at home (I'm capable of admitting that my hubby is the expert of most things at home), I can also admit that there's plenty I don't know. Plenty. (Don't tell my husband that... or my boss, for that matter.)
But expert or not, I at least like to have a basic understanding of things that affect my life and my family. Which is exactly why I took a gun safety course. Sure, we'd all like to believe that this isn't something we all need to know about, but fact of the matter is there are unsafe places in this world... sadly, this is sometimes true of our own neighborhoods. So while my husband is a gun owner, proud to have learned about hunting at a young age and already looking forward to one day passing on his knowledge to our son, I didn't grow up with guns in my home and I didn't know anyone that liked to hunt. When my husband and I first moved in together, this was a huge hurdle for me. Surely I couldn't ask him to give up something he enjoyed (that's something we women usually wait until marriage for), but it always made me uncomfortable. I'd call it a 'healthy fear' of guns. I couldn't even claim to know the basics. So shooting for the first time was scary... kinda cool, but way scary.
Once our son was born I only had one stipulation to keeping guns in the house - we needed a gun safe so that they were always out of reach. Easy peasy... problem solved. Truth be told, I felt safer having them locked up anyway.
And then there were a few break-ins. Three in one night, all on our street, the closest one just 2 doors down. Talk about hitting close to home! And that's when it really sunk in... just how unsafe your own home can be. And here we are, gun owners... and me with no knowledge of what to do with them. Someday in the not too distant future my husband would teach our son about gun safety and our 'little boy' would know more than I did. God forbid our son ever ask me a question on the subject and I would have to say "I don't know". Not acceptable.
So yesterday was the day I decided to learn what I needed to learn... partly for safety, partly to know what to do if anything ever went wrong, and partly to just feel comfortable with these things in our home. And I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that I did!
The class was taught by Commence Firearms Training Academy in Cleveland. Their staff was amazing and, within the first hour, I already felt more comfortable with guns than I had when I walked in the door... and it would be another 7 hours before we had any hands-on training. It was a long day - 12 hours of training and information - but it was presented in a way that made it so easy to understand... and amazingly enough, the day flew by. When all was said and done, I left there feeling like a completely new person. Like I knew exactly what I would need to do if the situation ever presented itself. Needless to say, the hope is that it never does... but at least I now have the knowledge I need to feel safe in my own home.
So, no, I'm still no expert on the subject. But I was reminded just how important it is to continue learning new things. Times change, people change and our world changes around us on a continuous basis. Sometimes you have no choice but to adapt in order to move on. For me, this is what allowed me to feel safe again.
Aside from feeling safer, I thoroughly enjoyed learning something new. I don't believe we appreciate this enough when we're in school... especially when it's something we have to do as opposed to something we choose. But it's a really good feeling to gain new knowledge, to discover something you never knew existed and to know that, with a little bit of time and effort, you can walk away a better/stronger/smarter person than when you started.
If you have the desire to learn something new, don't wait... learning can be so much fun :)
I don't claim to be an expert on anything. Well, that's not exactly true... I suppose I like to give people the impression that I'm an expert on lots of things. But I don't think anyone actually believes it... I know I certainly don't. While I love to be the person that people come to for answers, which seems to be the case far more often at the office than at home (I'm capable of admitting that my hubby is the expert of most things at home), I can also admit that there's plenty I don't know. Plenty. (Don't tell my husband that... or my boss, for that matter.)
But expert or not, I at least like to have a basic understanding of things that affect my life and my family. Which is exactly why I took a gun safety course. Sure, we'd all like to believe that this isn't something we all need to know about, but fact of the matter is there are unsafe places in this world... sadly, this is sometimes true of our own neighborhoods. So while my husband is a gun owner, proud to have learned about hunting at a young age and already looking forward to one day passing on his knowledge to our son, I didn't grow up with guns in my home and I didn't know anyone that liked to hunt. When my husband and I first moved in together, this was a huge hurdle for me. Surely I couldn't ask him to give up something he enjoyed (that's something we women usually wait until marriage for), but it always made me uncomfortable. I'd call it a 'healthy fear' of guns. I couldn't even claim to know the basics. So shooting for the first time was scary... kinda cool, but way scary.
Once our son was born I only had one stipulation to keeping guns in the house - we needed a gun safe so that they were always out of reach. Easy peasy... problem solved. Truth be told, I felt safer having them locked up anyway.
And then there were a few break-ins. Three in one night, all on our street, the closest one just 2 doors down. Talk about hitting close to home! And that's when it really sunk in... just how unsafe your own home can be. And here we are, gun owners... and me with no knowledge of what to do with them. Someday in the not too distant future my husband would teach our son about gun safety and our 'little boy' would know more than I did. God forbid our son ever ask me a question on the subject and I would have to say "I don't know". Not acceptable.
So yesterday was the day I decided to learn what I needed to learn... partly for safety, partly to know what to do if anything ever went wrong, and partly to just feel comfortable with these things in our home. And I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that I did!
The class was taught by Commence Firearms Training Academy in Cleveland. Their staff was amazing and, within the first hour, I already felt more comfortable with guns than I had when I walked in the door... and it would be another 7 hours before we had any hands-on training. It was a long day - 12 hours of training and information - but it was presented in a way that made it so easy to understand... and amazingly enough, the day flew by. When all was said and done, I left there feeling like a completely new person. Like I knew exactly what I would need to do if the situation ever presented itself. Needless to say, the hope is that it never does... but at least I now have the knowledge I need to feel safe in my own home.
So, no, I'm still no expert on the subject. But I was reminded just how important it is to continue learning new things. Times change, people change and our world changes around us on a continuous basis. Sometimes you have no choice but to adapt in order to move on. For me, this is what allowed me to feel safe again.
Aside from feeling safer, I thoroughly enjoyed learning something new. I don't believe we appreciate this enough when we're in school... especially when it's something we have to do as opposed to something we choose. But it's a really good feeling to gain new knowledge, to discover something you never knew existed and to know that, with a little bit of time and effort, you can walk away a better/stronger/smarter person than when you started.
If you have the desire to learn something new, don't wait... learning can be so much fun :)
Monday, November 12, 2012
Girls on the Run - 5k
It's hard to believe just how fast 10 weeks can go! But here we are... at the end of our 10 week fall 2012 season of Girls on the Run! And what an amazing season it's been :)
This program is so much fun! I believe I covered all of the basics in this post: Girls on the Run. Looking back and reading how I felt about the program just 2 weeks into the season doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of where I am today.
So where am I? I'm inspired, uplifted, motivated, optimistic... I want to set bigger goals, try harder, be a better person, set a good example... I want to say more, do more, be more... I want everything this life has to offer... and then some :)
I suppose I should backtrack for just a moment and share my thoughts and experiences from the last 8 weeks of the season. I will admit that I found myself a little frustrated at times... maybe more so with myself than with these 11 wonderful young ladies. This was my first attempt at working with girls this age and I'd completely forgotten what it was like to be one of them (20 years has a way of doing that). I had to remind myself that these girls weren't here to 'train'. They didn't join the program to become athletes. They were there to learn a few life lessons, get some exercise and learn about achieving goals. And they were there to have fun. What they hadn't signed up for was teaching an adult a few lessons about living life, enjoying small victories and a whole new level of patience. It would appear they reached their own goals and a whole lot more. By the end of this season I think I finally figured out that I'd had a lot to learn myself... and maybe, just maybe, I'd gotten more out of the season than they did.
So once I learned a few of my own life lessons, I settled into my position as Running Buddy and gave it everything I had.
The practice 5k was a week before the real deal and, after our visit from Hurricane Sandy, the day was dark, cold and rainy. Not ideal weather for a bunch of ten and eleven year olds to run 3.1 miles. But, let me tell you, they were troopers! My job was to try to keep everyone moving and, in the end, I managed to spend a little time with almost everyone on the team. It's been tough for me to figure out what motivates these girls to work hard, but I found that most of them truly did have a desire to do well and, even though it was hard, there was far less walking than there had been at most practices and, when they crossed that finish line, there were some seriously huge smiles. All of the girls who finished early on gathered at the finish line to cheer on the rest of the team and each of them received a certificate for completing a 5k. After 8 weeks of training, they were ready to run their end of the season race.
So yesterday, November 11th, was the season ending 5k at Blossom Music Center. With over 1,000 participants, these girls ran in a race larger than most races I've run. And it was like no other race I've ever seen. Everyone was encouraged to make tiaras (mad props to the dads who participated in this activity), spray paint their hair and, in all ways possible, show their individuality while still being part of a team. It was amazing to see these girls encouraging one another, being positive and having a great time doing it. All of the participants in the GOTR program were given race bibs with the #1 (because we're all #1 no matter how we finish)... everyone else got regularly numbered race bibs. And each team had something special to signify that they were a team (Team Avon Lake had neon green bandannas... every one of which I believe was worn a different way). There were tutus, headbands, streamers, face paint and scarves, so even though every program participant in the Greater Summit region wore a navy blue Girls on the Run race shirt, each team and each runner could stand out in the crowd. I can't wait to see those photos!
As a Running Buddy, it was my job to stick with a few girls for the entire race. Lily and Madison asked if I would run with them and I gladly accepted... it took me back a few years to when kids picked teams... and I can't tell you how honored I was to be first pick for these girls. Talk about personality! They have a way of keeping you entertained for hours!
So at the start of the race, the three of us stuck together... both uphill and down... and kept each other going. Just a little shy of half way, Madison decided that a slightly slower pace would be better for her, so another coach stepped in to run the rest of the race with Lily and I had the pleasure of sticking it out with Madison. Talk about a girl with drive. For someone her age, I would have expected complaints and requests to stop. But not Madison. As many times as I'd seen her walk in practice, she seemed to have brought her A game to this race! This course had rolling hills and, coming from the Cleveland area, we're just not used to anything like it. But Madison continued to impress me with her effort throughout the entire race. As difficult as it was and as much as she admitted that she was struggling with those hills, she powered through every one of them and didn't walk a single step of the entire race. She even had a little something extra saved up for the finish line. Every one of our girls finished the race and gave it everything they had. There were girls that walked parts of the race that refused to walk through the finish line and gave it every last bit of effort they had for a strong finish, where family and friends were cheering them on, there were dads with tears in their eyes as their daughters finished their first race, and there were girls everywhere smiling ear to ear that were so proud of their accomplishments as they posed for pictures with family and friends and celebrated their amazing victory. There were hugs and laughter all around us! It was a race environment like none I'd ever experienced before... and now I simply can't wait to experience it again!
Team Avon Lake: You are an inspiring group of young women and have changed me in ways I never imagined! Here's to you, an amazing season and hopefully more to come!
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| Photo by Girls on the Run of Greater Summit |
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Girls on the Run
Several weeks ago I signed up to volunteer as a running buddy for the Avon Lake team of Girls on the Run of Greater Summit. We're now 2 weeks into the 10-week season... and I'm hooked!
For those of you who don't know what Girls on the Run is all about, here's a great place to learn more: http://www.girlsontherun.org/What-We-Do
My first experience with Girls on the Run was as a SoleMate (an awesome name given to those raising funds for the GOTR program) while training for the Cleveland Marathon. I did my best to hit up all of my friends and neighbors for donations. GOTR's minimum goal was listed at $262... just $10 per mile. I felt I could improve upon that and set my personal fundraising goal at $500. I should have given my family, friends and coworkers more credit... I managed to raise over $1,400 for Girls on the Run. And, not that my friends aren't generous to begin with, but I have to assume that the nature of this program hit home with several of those people who donated, making it very easy to convince them to open their wallets and checkbooks :) I very much appreciated the support and am now more convinced than ever that their donations went to a worthy cause.
At first, I didn't know much about the program... just the basics. But the more I learned, the more excited I became to play a larger role in Girls on the Run. Raising funds was great, but raising awareness and working directly with these girls was something I really looked forward to. And now that I'm a part of it, I can't wait to do even more.
And this is just about the time when insanity sets in... I'm not very good at baby steps... I like skipping directly to the most elaborate and complicated ending. I've already daydreamed about coaching my own team, starting my own council, operating my own 501(c)3 organization... see what I mean? Maybe I could just start with completing my first season?
But that's not really what this program is all about, is it? It's about teaching these girls that they can be themselves (insanity and all) and dream big (really, really big) and set their sights on the unimaginable (see above) and that anything is possible if you work hard enough. So while I will admit that I do need to work on having patience when it comes to some of these things, I am unwilling to consider that any of these ideas are beyond my reach.
So, for now, I will attempt to slow down... and reduce my leaps and bounds to more manageable baby steps... I will simply point my feet in the direction of my wildest dreams and plan to get there at a slightly more manageable pace.
"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon."
For those of you who don't know what Girls on the Run is all about, here's a great place to learn more: http://www.girlsontherun.org/What-We-Do
My first experience with Girls on the Run was as a SoleMate (an awesome name given to those raising funds for the GOTR program) while training for the Cleveland Marathon. I did my best to hit up all of my friends and neighbors for donations. GOTR's minimum goal was listed at $262... just $10 per mile. I felt I could improve upon that and set my personal fundraising goal at $500. I should have given my family, friends and coworkers more credit... I managed to raise over $1,400 for Girls on the Run. And, not that my friends aren't generous to begin with, but I have to assume that the nature of this program hit home with several of those people who donated, making it very easy to convince them to open their wallets and checkbooks :) I very much appreciated the support and am now more convinced than ever that their donations went to a worthy cause.
At first, I didn't know much about the program... just the basics. But the more I learned, the more excited I became to play a larger role in Girls on the Run. Raising funds was great, but raising awareness and working directly with these girls was something I really looked forward to. And now that I'm a part of it, I can't wait to do even more.
And this is just about the time when insanity sets in... I'm not very good at baby steps... I like skipping directly to the most elaborate and complicated ending. I've already daydreamed about coaching my own team, starting my own council, operating my own 501(c)3 organization... see what I mean? Maybe I could just start with completing my first season?
But that's not really what this program is all about, is it? It's about teaching these girls that they can be themselves (insanity and all) and dream big (really, really big) and set their sights on the unimaginable (see above) and that anything is possible if you work hard enough. So while I will admit that I do need to work on having patience when it comes to some of these things, I am unwilling to consider that any of these ideas are beyond my reach.
So, for now, I will attempt to slow down... and reduce my leaps and bounds to more manageable baby steps... I will simply point my feet in the direction of my wildest dreams and plan to get there at a slightly more manageable pace.
"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon."
Monday, September 17, 2012
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure [9/15/12]
An all around amazing day... the weather, the race, the crowd, the shirts, the socks... and the inspiration!
I haven't raced since the marathon and I couldn't have picked a better way to get back into racing mode. Team Dee is one amazing group of people! And watching the survivors finish, hearing each of their names announced... there's nothing else like it. What a wonderful group of women (and men) all fighting to find a cure for breast cancer. I'm so proud to be a part of it!
Thanks to Julie for gathering the team and designing our awesome shirts [Fight like a girl]! Based on the number of strangers taking pics, I'd say they were a crowd favorite! And to Maureen for tracking down the sweet socks! I'm impressed the boys were man enough to wear them too!
As far as the actual race was concerned, I felt really good at the start, but took the first half mile a little slow just to be safe... not that there were many options... the number of people downtown for this event was absolutely amazing and, with that kind of crowd, there was no way to take off too fast! But, once we got going, I decided to see what I was capable of. It certainly wasn't my fastest 5k, but I'm not at all disappointed with my 26:35 time! Mile 1 was around 9:00, mile 2 around 8:30 and the final 1.1 around 9:05... An excellent starting point for getting back into shape :)
Great peeps, great event... and a great post-race breakfast at Sweet Melissa's. Sign me up for next year!
I haven't raced since the marathon and I couldn't have picked a better way to get back into racing mode. Team Dee is one amazing group of people! And watching the survivors finish, hearing each of their names announced... there's nothing else like it. What a wonderful group of women (and men) all fighting to find a cure for breast cancer. I'm so proud to be a part of it!
Thanks to Julie for gathering the team and designing our awesome shirts [Fight like a girl]! Based on the number of strangers taking pics, I'd say they were a crowd favorite! And to Maureen for tracking down the sweet socks! I'm impressed the boys were man enough to wear them too!
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| Team Dee before the race |
As far as the actual race was concerned, I felt really good at the start, but took the first half mile a little slow just to be safe... not that there were many options... the number of people downtown for this event was absolutely amazing and, with that kind of crowd, there was no way to take off too fast! But, once we got going, I decided to see what I was capable of. It certainly wasn't my fastest 5k, but I'm not at all disappointed with my 26:35 time! Mile 1 was around 9:00, mile 2 around 8:30 and the final 1.1 around 9:05... An excellent starting point for getting back into shape :)
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| The girls - after the race |
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Starting over...
About 5 weeks after deciding that what I was battling in my hip was likely a stress fracture, I received an email from a friend asking if anyone was interested in joining her team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on September 15th... just 6 weeks away. After reading her story, I knew I wanted to be a part of the team. I also knew that it meant cutting short the recovery time I promised myself I would take. Hmmm... what to do, what to do?
It took all of 30 seconds to come to the conclusion that I really wanted to run this race. So I responded that she could count me in, registered online, hit up my awesome husband for a donation, then... nothing. Even though my hip was feeling a million times better than it had been, I knew that 5 weeks was not enough time to fully recover and that the smart thing to do was to take off as much time as I possibly could to assure that I wouldn't end up back where I started and have to begin the recovery process again. So, in the meantime, I read about running, signed up for a volunteer program involving running and spent my days dreaming about how it would feel to run again. I gave myself 4 more weeks' recovery time (instead of 7), then hit the pavement.
Yikes! I managed to convince a friend to run with me for my first time back and I'm fairly certain it was the only reason I kept going for the entire 2 mile run. Thank goodness for Jaime! I was shockingly out of shape and the only motivation I had was to keep up with her so that we could continue our conversation. I somehow managed to ask enough questions to keep her talking the entire time, which allowed me to focus solely on breathing... a very important part of the running process.
Yay for getting back to running! Boo for starting over :(
I ran another 2 miles the other day... it took about 19 minutes... and I'd given it my all. I'm truly not worried about the time, but it was still hard to accept just how far my fitness level had fallen. I'm a marathon runner, for crying out loud... how can 2 miles be this difficult?
There's no question that race day will be tough. But the plan is to run as a team and it's most definitely for a good cause. It's been decided that, instead of sticking around for the awards, we'll be heading out after the race to grab breakfast. Oddly enough, with the promise of food after the finish, I feel slightly better about my odds of finishing.
I'm really glad my first race back won't be a competitive one, but I'm not going to lie, I'm still a little nervous about the distance... I haven't run more than 2 miles since May!
But, believe it or not, at this very moment, as I write this post, I've come to one amazing realization... this is exactly where I was last summer... just starting out, no training under my belt, out of shape and unsure of how it was all going to work out. This is the point where I made the commitment to run a marathon. This is how I felt at the beginning of my journey. It really was the start of the most incredible year. And if the coming year ends up anything like it, I can't possibly be worried about the fact that I had to start over... I'm just too damn excited about the journey ahead.
It took all of 30 seconds to come to the conclusion that I really wanted to run this race. So I responded that she could count me in, registered online, hit up my awesome husband for a donation, then... nothing. Even though my hip was feeling a million times better than it had been, I knew that 5 weeks was not enough time to fully recover and that the smart thing to do was to take off as much time as I possibly could to assure that I wouldn't end up back where I started and have to begin the recovery process again. So, in the meantime, I read about running, signed up for a volunteer program involving running and spent my days dreaming about how it would feel to run again. I gave myself 4 more weeks' recovery time (instead of 7), then hit the pavement.
Yikes! I managed to convince a friend to run with me for my first time back and I'm fairly certain it was the only reason I kept going for the entire 2 mile run. Thank goodness for Jaime! I was shockingly out of shape and the only motivation I had was to keep up with her so that we could continue our conversation. I somehow managed to ask enough questions to keep her talking the entire time, which allowed me to focus solely on breathing... a very important part of the running process.
Yay for getting back to running! Boo for starting over :(
I ran another 2 miles the other day... it took about 19 minutes... and I'd given it my all. I'm truly not worried about the time, but it was still hard to accept just how far my fitness level had fallen. I'm a marathon runner, for crying out loud... how can 2 miles be this difficult?
There's no question that race day will be tough. But the plan is to run as a team and it's most definitely for a good cause. It's been decided that, instead of sticking around for the awards, we'll be heading out after the race to grab breakfast. Oddly enough, with the promise of food after the finish, I feel slightly better about my odds of finishing.
I'm really glad my first race back won't be a competitive one, but I'm not going to lie, I'm still a little nervous about the distance... I haven't run more than 2 miles since May!
But, believe it or not, at this very moment, as I write this post, I've come to one amazing realization... this is exactly where I was last summer... just starting out, no training under my belt, out of shape and unsure of how it was all going to work out. This is the point where I made the commitment to run a marathon. This is how I felt at the beginning of my journey. It really was the start of the most incredible year. And if the coming year ends up anything like it, I can't possibly be worried about the fact that I had to start over... I'm just too damn excited about the journey ahead.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Being perfect
Many people don't know this, but being perfect takes a lot of work. Some mistake it as an easy task that comes naturally to others. It's not. It's hard work. It takes a lot of time and patience. It requires constant attention. Not that I would know...
Of course, some might argue that no one is perfect. I suppose that depends on how one defines perfection. I have moments were I think of it as the unattainable goal that, no matter what all of us non-perfect people say, we're all, deep down, trying to reach. Then there are days when I think that being imperfect is what makes us perfect. I am who I am meant to be, flaws and all, making me the perfect version of myself.
There are so many factors that play into how someone feels about themselves. I believe magazines and advertisers provide an image of perfection that, to young girls especially, makes one incredibly uncomfortable in their own skin. Fortunately, as an adult, I don't know that I put nearly as much weight on those images... I believe it's important for teens to see a more realistic image of beauty, but I find that, in my old age (kidding, of course) I've attained enough wisdom to know that this is simply not an image anyone can live up to. And, deep down, I have an understanding that every one of those models with 'perfect' bodies have their own doubts and self-esteem issues... we just can't see them through the glossy magazine spread.
As an adult we realize that maybe the perfect body doesn't exist... at least not after a few kids and what I like to consider basic necessities... a few glasses of wine, a couple beers, a pan of brownies... they can go a long way in relieving stress and I'll take a few extra pounds over cutting that out of my diet any day :) Plus, with limited time and a busy schedule, I find matching clothes and make-up don't always make the list of daily priorities. Fortunately for me, having established that what you look like does not make you perfect, I've managed to save myself countless hours of primping. (My apologies to the fine employees of the local grocery store who occasionally catch me in my pjs and a baseball hat - no offense, but you just don't rank high enough to justify the use of a hairdryer.)
So why does being perfect still seem to matter? Why do I still feel like I'm not living up to some kind of crazy standard? It's certainly not like anyone has given me the impression that I'm not good enough. Am I the only one that feels the pressure to be something better?
So, after mulling it over for a few days I realize that I try my very best to give people the impression that I am perfect. I'm not suggesting anyone believes it... but the effort is still there. I never go out of my way to admit my mistakes (mainly because I rarely make them), I put makeup on every morning before work (not that it's needed, because clearly I have flawless skin), I color my hair (even though there's no reason to dislike my incredibly boring natural brown), I post to facebook how much I love my life (because it's obviously perfect) and, of course, if anyone ever asks, my son is the most amazing kid you could ever meet (because, even though he's a toddler, he just doesn't seem to be affected by the terrible 2s). And so I give some serious thought to my half truths and small exaggerations and realize that maybe, just maybe, I'm not the only one trying to put out the 'my life is seriously perfect' vibe... and I suddenly start to feel a heck of a lot better about myself.
I'd love to challenge everyone to be themselves, even if only for a short while, and try it on for size... see how it feels... and maybe find that being 100% yourself isn't all that bad. But, who would make the leap first? Am I strong enough to do it without following someone else's lead? Does my admitting imperfection make it impossible to ever go back to pretending otherwise?
Not that it matters... because I'm not pretending... after all, I'm clearly perfect in every way :)
Of course, some might argue that no one is perfect. I suppose that depends on how one defines perfection. I have moments were I think of it as the unattainable goal that, no matter what all of us non-perfect people say, we're all, deep down, trying to reach. Then there are days when I think that being imperfect is what makes us perfect. I am who I am meant to be, flaws and all, making me the perfect version of myself.
There are so many factors that play into how someone feels about themselves. I believe magazines and advertisers provide an image of perfection that, to young girls especially, makes one incredibly uncomfortable in their own skin. Fortunately, as an adult, I don't know that I put nearly as much weight on those images... I believe it's important for teens to see a more realistic image of beauty, but I find that, in my old age (kidding, of course) I've attained enough wisdom to know that this is simply not an image anyone can live up to. And, deep down, I have an understanding that every one of those models with 'perfect' bodies have their own doubts and self-esteem issues... we just can't see them through the glossy magazine spread.
As an adult we realize that maybe the perfect body doesn't exist... at least not after a few kids and what I like to consider basic necessities... a few glasses of wine, a couple beers, a pan of brownies... they can go a long way in relieving stress and I'll take a few extra pounds over cutting that out of my diet any day :) Plus, with limited time and a busy schedule, I find matching clothes and make-up don't always make the list of daily priorities. Fortunately for me, having established that what you look like does not make you perfect, I've managed to save myself countless hours of primping. (My apologies to the fine employees of the local grocery store who occasionally catch me in my pjs and a baseball hat - no offense, but you just don't rank high enough to justify the use of a hairdryer.)
So why does being perfect still seem to matter? Why do I still feel like I'm not living up to some kind of crazy standard? It's certainly not like anyone has given me the impression that I'm not good enough. Am I the only one that feels the pressure to be something better?
So, after mulling it over for a few days I realize that I try my very best to give people the impression that I am perfect. I'm not suggesting anyone believes it... but the effort is still there. I never go out of my way to admit my mistakes (mainly because I rarely make them), I put makeup on every morning before work (not that it's needed, because clearly I have flawless skin), I color my hair (even though there's no reason to dislike my incredibly boring natural brown), I post to facebook how much I love my life (because it's obviously perfect) and, of course, if anyone ever asks, my son is the most amazing kid you could ever meet (because, even though he's a toddler, he just doesn't seem to be affected by the terrible 2s). And so I give some serious thought to my half truths and small exaggerations and realize that maybe, just maybe, I'm not the only one trying to put out the 'my life is seriously perfect' vibe... and I suddenly start to feel a heck of a lot better about myself.
I'd love to challenge everyone to be themselves, even if only for a short while, and try it on for size... see how it feels... and maybe find that being 100% yourself isn't all that bad. But, who would make the leap first? Am I strong enough to do it without following someone else's lead? Does my admitting imperfection make it impossible to ever go back to pretending otherwise?
Not that it matters... because I'm not pretending... after all, I'm clearly perfect in every way :)
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