Food for Thought 4

How do you like your eggs, Shraddha? :

Remember the movie, ” The Runaway Bride”?

In the movie Julia Roberts' character Maggie Carpenter doesn't know how she likes her eggs… she always eats them the way her then fiancé prefers.

When Ike Graham (Richard Gere) asks Maggie how she would like her eggs, she says, "Whatever you're having".

Ike keeps on nudging Maggie, and she then reveals that she has no idea… if she is left to her own devices, she doesn’t know how she likes her eggs!!

Later in the movie, Maggie prepares eggs for herself in every way imaginable, tasting each one of them, and finally figures out how she likes them. Eggs Benedict is her choice!!!

Back to Shraddha….

I recently had an “Eggs Benedict” moment, thanks to my daughter pressing me into trying something new…

I was trying to find someone to accompany me to a movie that I was planning to watch for a long time… unfortunately all my friends and family were preoccupied and weren’t available…

This is when my daughter really got into her convincing shoes and nudged me go and watch the movie alone. She always reminds me of the more self-assured and independent being that I used to be!!

Life happened, Selflessness caught on and Self Prioritizing went into Hibernation mode….

After a lot of convincing and contemplating both ways, I finally decided to go for the movie alone and now, I can’t thank my daughter enough💕💜💕

Going to the movie alone that day really gave me a feeling of being Liberated and being Empowered!!

The “Eggs Benedict” moment was in realizing that...

1) If the movie IS important then I CAN go and watch it alone….

2) Given a choice, I would still prefer going with friends and/or family because for me, the overall experience and the discussions and coffee after, also matters😄😆

3) I need to keep on taking chances at so many small things again to rediscover my choices and preferences…

Self Prioritizing Vs Selflessness

At 50, I realize that I have now gone through a long part of my life without acknowledging what I really like, sometimes not even bothering to know what I really like or want, and always accommodating others….

I think this is also a habit most women unknowingly get into while playing the “Ideal Home maker” bit. I too was an easy prey for this habit and fell into the pattern of not prioritizing myself over others ….

It has taken me a lot of time and mind churning to realize that prioritizing oneself isn’t necessarily being Selfish!! And, Always prioritizing others isn’t Being Selfless either!!!

Rather, it can be an act of self-love and self-preservation which can lead to more fulfilling, healthier and more positive life experiences. I think this can also improve mental health by having positive effects on self-motivation and self-confidence. In fact , Prioritizing oneself can actually demonstrate Self-Respect and Self Worth.

In that sense, then Prioritizing yourself IS an act of service to yourself !!

This Journey of Prioritizing Oneself starts with knowing yourself & your choices in the first place. It is like rediscovering something that has always taken a backseat or has been forgotten completely. It is like rediscovering yourself all over again…. Having as many “Eggs Benedict” moments as you can…

For me, this journey IS very very important and this is keeping  me Feeling Empowered!!!