Admitting things to myself.

[Ultralight]

As I mentioned in another thread, I admitted to myself that I hate cooking and I am never going to like it. So I made changes to do very little of it.

Another thing I am admitting to myself is that I absolutely dislike entertaining guests.

What about you? Any things like this you eventually realized about yourself?

[KayLR]

For years I wanted to learn to knit; tried to teach myself, did a lot of scarves and dishcloths. Then realized I wasn't good at it, didn't enjoy it all that much. So I just sold all my knitting yarn and needles. It had also become a space-hog.

[razz]

I finally admitted to myself that I must keep things simple and casual as the "Ms Perfect" in me makes anything too elaborate an ordeal and stressful not only for me but for those around me. Simple clothes, simple meals, simple routines, simple budget, ...

Learning to relax with family and friends is so much easier when I am not obsessing about details.

[bae]

I am not Superman.

Settling for Batman.

[frugal-one]

Did Senior Boot Camp today. Realizing I cannot do such strenuous exercises. I need to bulk up but not kill myself in the process!

[KayLR]

I also admit that I am not much of a home decorator. I give up. Not going to waste energy trying.

[pinkytoe]

I have artistic talents but am rarely interested in creating art anymore.

[Zoe Girl]

yeah, roller derby is not going to be my next career.

But seriously I cannot just 'power through' detailed or organizing tasks. I went to work an hour early today (by accident, I didn't read the schedule I wrote myself) and then stayed about 45 minutes after because I finally got the printer and computer to play nice. It was sooooo much worth it to feel confident in getting things done.

[Tammy]

I received many awards for musical performance in high school.

About 15 years ago I realized that while I am good at it, I don’t enjoy it.

I sold my instruments and never looked back.

[Teacher Terry]

For a long time I had cleaners to scrub all the floors and bathrooms because I hated it. Now I am doing it myself again:confused:

[catherine]

I'm with you on the entertaining guests thing.

I was at a women's retreat once and the facilitator asked us what we wanted to "be"--what were our aspirations. So I said I wanted to be a good housekeeper, but I'm terrible at it. Her response was, "Do you want your house to be well-kept or do you want to be a good housekeeper"--I thought that was brilliant. Yet, I still haven't succumbed to getting cleaning help--I struggle through on an as-needed basis.

[Ultralight]

I'm with you on the entertaining guests thing.


I go home to get away from people! Why would I want to bring them in here? LOL

[rosarugosa]

Me three! Count in Casa Rosa as another place where the party isn't!

[NewGig]

When younger, I entertained, because I felt I had to. I don't these days. We're very solitary and like it that way. After decades of being "on show" and feeling like a performing seal all the time, it's a blessing to relax and just be myself. If folks don't like it? Well, too bad! I live and work at home, which makes this much, much easier. The friends I have do not require that I'm entertaining all the time. My old friends don't like me these days. And so what?

[Simplemind]

For a long time I had cleaners to scrub all the floors and bathrooms because I hated it. Now I am doing it myself again:confused:

TT I swear we were separated at birth !!

[Teacher Terry]

That’s funny Simple!

[ApatheticNoMore]

As I mentioned in another thread, I admitted to myself that I hate cooking and I am never going to like it. So I made changes to do very little of it.

I'm trying this recently as a diet, just eating very boring things, plain piece of fruit, plain baked potato or sweet potato, plain piece of fish etc., plain healthy food in unrefined form, not in a recipe, unspiced etc.. As a diet I can't say it's yet been hugely successful (but I'm within normal weight just obsessing over vanity pounds, and anyone's mileage may vary).

But it did occur to me that regardless it was the solution to many problems! Too lazy to cook and tempted to turn to packaged food (although I don't do much of that anyway, but I think that cultural trend is there): eat a plain potato or a plain avocado or plain boiled egg or something :laff: Eat this plain stuff to hunger of course, not advocating eating one boiled egg a day or something :~) And it will do the job of nourishing you. And maybe that's enough, unlike packaged food it actually is nourishing and healthy. And it's the reason that people turn to package food or restaurant food etc. right (well occasionally the later to socialize but leaving that aside) because they are fricken tired from the day, and I get it: fricken tired, the day is sometimes hard, sometimes the commutes long etc.! But it's really not necessary, only because people believe food should be fancy, plain boring food is healthy enough. So I'm not much of a housewife, well good that I'm not one. :~)

But actually I really can cook, I merely found interesting the liberation side of boring food that does little more than nourish. That turning to convenience for anything isn't necessary, if you are fine with boredom. It is also probably a way to reduce food waste. The exception is: I do think that completely non-starchy/non-sweet/non-fat veggies need a little work, lettuce needs a little dressing, greens like chard and kale need a bit of olive oil and garlic etc.. Because the body perceives these foods as so extremely boring (so low calorie) that one isn't going to eat them otherwise at all, one would as soon starve, which is about as many calories as these have plain anyway. But everything else is ok-ish plain.

[ejchase]

I *have* succumbed to getting cleaning help, and it was a great decision. It's just once a month, but it makes SUCH a difference.

I'm a borderline hoarder and have never been disciplined about cleaning, though I try try try.

Having a cleaner coming once a month means I know that once a month the whole house gets "deep cleaned" and all the sheets get washed. Also, when my daughter and I come home on the day of the cleaning, it's a huge positive boost to our moods.

I guess what I finally admitted to myself is that I'd rather eat out a little less and give up some other luxuries to have the luxury of a cleaner. And maybe one day I'll become disciplined about cleaning, but, in the meantime, I work on keeping the house tidy between cleanings and on decluttering.

I think the big discovery was that I didn't have to punish myself for not being disciplined about cleaning or for not liking it. And I also like that my daughter doesn't have to be punished for it either. We still both do chores, but having the cleaner allows us to not feel a lot of pressure about keeping on top of all of it all the time. And also, it takes so much pressure off when people come over because I know things are sort of relatively clean. I used to avoid having people over because I was so overwhelmed by how dirty things were. Not a problem anymore.

[Teacher Terry]

Echase, when I worked full time I had monthly cleaners for decades. I often would plan inviting people for dinner to coincide with that. I even kept them for 6 years of retirement because I was still working part time. I only got rid of them when that job ended.

[Simplemind]

When we were working we did all the cleaning and yardwork ourselves. The only break we had was when we left town on vacation. The big kick for me was cleaning our parents homes when we moved them out. OMG..... I'm claiming PTSD from those tasks. My mom had a framed quote in her pantry - "A clean house is a sign of a misspent life." She was what I called a casual housekeeper, as am I. I actually started to think back on when was the last time I remembered my parents home as a showplace to when it turned into banquet night at the Havisham's. She would have been about my current age. Oh the horror.
I don't want it to slide into only being clean in the well worn pathways and having night circus play out in the corners and closets. We have been decluttering at an even faster pace the last couple of years. We really are fairly minimalist in comparison. We have sold a lot of our stuff right along with theirs.
So now that we are retired we do even more with our yard which is substantial AND comes with a huge feeling of satisfaction that housework never does. So knowing that yardwork leaves us creaky and knowing that our eyesight and sense of smell are going to diminish in time and knowing that we never want our kids to have to bend over and closely inspect the periphery.... we are spending their inheritance on a deep cleaning team that comes in once a month. I love, love, love cleaning day. I don't want to leave the house for a week after they leave. I feel like I need to wear sunglasses. I wouldn't.. couldn't clean that thoroughly with a gun to my head.

[NewGig]

I like yardwork more than housework too! I think it's because the yard is used less, so it stays looking good longer. That said? I hate raking leaves in fall, because well, you do it and do it and do it, and more leaves fall!

[ApatheticNoMore]

I couldn't justify the money for cleaning but if I could: I'd probably use that money and get a monthly professional massage instead. Let things be messy, sweet stress relief, just lying on that table, oh yea.

[Simplemind]

Well if we are being perfectly honest...…. I get the massage too. In fact, when everything was in turmoil I was going in for a 90 minute massage once a week. I rarely buy things of a material nature but I'm big on pampering when I'm overwhelmed by duties I can't turn my back on. The massages kept me from running away from home. Both DH and I look back on it now and can't believe we did what we did in the time that we did it. I guess when you are in the middle of a hurricane you can't appreciate how bad it was until you are through it see it in your rear view mirror.

[Teacher Terry]

I used to get a massage monthly when I was working. I loved it. We had to make some choices when my part time job went away so some things sadly went away. But I figured if my mom could clean her apartment until she died at 89 I can certainly clean now. Our yard has 3 big fruit trees that are constantly dropping leaves, etc and making a mess. Leaves from the neighbors trees blow in. I use my patio a lot so am constantly sweeping. I hate yard work but my husband does most of it.

[iris lilies]

I like yardwork more than housework too! I think it's because the yard is used less, so it stays looking good longer. That said? I hate raking leaves in fall, because well, you do it and do it and do it, and more leaves fall!
I have always liked yardwork and don’t like housework. I have always said I could hire people to do my house, and I have, and whatever they do I’ll be happy with because I don’t care about it. It is better than when I want to do is spend time on.

But I’m not sure I can hire somebody to do my yard because I’m very picky about what gets done and how it’s done.

Once in my last few years of working I did hire my neighbor’s landscaping company to do the first round of spring weeds and she sent her best weeder, a college kid hort student, to weed my garden because she knew it was fraught with potential problems.

Now that I’m retired I don’t mind the housework that I do. There’s tons of it I don’t do so I must mind that ha ha

[iris lilies]

I like yardwork more than housework too! I think it's because the yard is used less, so it stays looking good longer. That said? I hate raking leaves in fall, because well, you do it and do it and do it, and more leaves fall!
Trees. They will do that to ya.

[razz]

Trees. They will do that to ya.

:~)

[JaneV2.0]

... I have always said I could hire people to do my house, and I have, and whatever they do I’ll be happy with because I don’t care about it. ...

My sentiments exactly.