Limit Break
I’m tired of putting artificial limits on myself and my happiness. It’s all too easy for me to fall into the trap of the martyr, a lone suffering saint losing all my dreams and loves in the face of something larger than me. It starts with noble intentions of course—first I might sacrifice an evening to help someone I genuinely want to help. Eventually, however, I find myself giving up things that matter to me or things that help me recharge my batteries enough to do things that I enjoy for some vague notion that denying myself somehow accomplishes something other than just punishing myself enough to feel justification when I don’t do the things I love.
I stopped going to Starbucks for just that sort of reason. I felt like I was somehow spending too much money there for my little vegan treats. This somehow blossomed into how I wasn’t even allowed to sit in a non-Starbucks coffee shop in some vague attempt to “earn” an HDTV or some such nonsense. Jesus doesn’t need me to fast, and I’m through with needing to fast to appease myself. It’s time to treat myself as beautifully as I treat other people. I is an other, and whole self/no-self dichotomy is a convenient illusion.
All of the limits in our life are limits that we want to be there. We can blame our teachers and schools. We can blame our parents. We can blame religion. In the end, this is just our attempt to avoid facing the evil bastard in the mirror who has always limited our progress and who will always limit our success as long as we’re willing to let him. It’s time for a limit break. No more leashes. No more cages. No more artificial limitations due to imaginary broken wings.
I’m going to fix the air conditioning in my car in the next month.
I’m going to buy an HDTV in the next three months.
I’m going to buy a new hamster the next time I see one cute enough to follow me home.
I’m going to ensure that I always have time to myself even if I have to cut something else out of my life.
I’m going to go to Starbucks whenever I effing feel like it.
I’m going to write first drafts without a care for how intelligent they sound.
I’m going to speak my mind like the punk rock prophet I am and have always wanted to be.
I’m going to go see Wolves play next season even if I have to save up my own money to do it.
I’m going to set the thermostat lower whenever I’m hot.
I’m going to create, dammit. No excuses and no limits. Come along for the ride or get the hell out of the way.
Technorati Tags: Do It Now, Creativity, Limit Break