A year or so ago I had the official worst day ever. I overslept and left my wallet at home (no double latte for me). I missed my bus and the morning staff meeting, which earned me a special one-on-one with the boss, which I had right after I found out that the writing class I wanted to take had filled up before I’d signed up. Lunch ruined a new sweater with a stain I didn’t catch, and it was downhill from there.
I was not slaying it. It was slaying me, and by the time it was over, I was pretty sure I deserved it. All I could do to sit in the dark in a funk that was even darker and contemplate my irredeemable uselessness as a human being.
Not a great place to be, and for some reason, I couldn’t snap out of it. But somewhere on the way to permanent misery, I grabbed a notebook and just started messing around. Don’t ask me how, but somehow I ended up doodling out a list of ten things I like about myself.
Maybe I wasn’t quite as worthless as I felt. I cheered up, poured a fresh cup, and salvaged the last few hours of my dismal day.
But that list… I didn’t forget it, and the next time I found myself feeling bad about myself, I pulled it out again. It reminded me that I’m never a waste of space. I’m just someone who trips and falls sometimes like everybody else. There’s plenty about me to be proud about, and one cringe-worthy screw-up, or even a day’s worth, can’t change that.
It’s worth remembering. That’s why I still have that list and why you should have one, too. Because we all need to remind ourselves that we’re worth it, and sometimes we just have to spell it out for ourselves. A list of the ten things we like about who we are, no matter what it contains, is a short and sweet way to never let go of one of life’s most important truths: That no matter how bad it gets, life is still good. And we are, too.
