I’m still working on this list and don’t expect to be done until I cock up my toes at age 100 or thereabouts.
1. Taking yourself too seriously.
2. Refusing to listen to feedback.
3. Giving up.
4. Going bathingsuit shopping in the dead of winter in a store with bad lighting and communal changing rooms.
(there is no picture here because we've all been there and tried to forget that)
5. Eating the last deviled egg on the buffet that’s beginning to brown.
6. Ignoring the little light shaped like an oil can on the dashboard.
7. Keeping score of slights and hurts.
8. Not apologizing.
9. Pretending to know what you’re doing all the time (I go with most of the time on this one)
10. Worrying about what other people think.
11. Quitting moving.
12. Letting clutter accumulate.
What are some of your best-avoided mistakes?
Love these, Toby. Can only think of PROCRASTINATION off the top of my head and on that, I shall about turn and leave your great blog as I have a really tricky cutting and mixing of a few chapters to do which has been waiting for me for about half an hour…
Procrastination isn’t something I’ve had a big problem with so it didn’t jump to mind. THanks so much for showing up and commenting, Jackie!
Along with the “Rules,” Using the word Should. I “should have” done X, or I should have done Y. Drives me bonkers because all it does is make you feel bad about something you no longer have any control over. It’s living in the past and giving you guilt. Chalk it up to life experience and move on! On the other hand, “should” also gives a sense of entitlement, as in the case of addiction thinking: I should have a better car/job/wife/kids/life. I should be able to do that! I should have gotten that promotion.
My confrontational therapy self always asked, “says who?” after a client would use “should.” Not the most empathic approach, but it made them step back and think. 🙂
I SHOULD have thought of that! *laughs*
Not following your intuition because of a fear of the unknown would be my biggest mistake that I try to avoid whenever possible!! If I had of listened to that little voice inside, I would have started writing years…ok, maybe decades ago!!
Good one Reechelle! That little voice is so important- it’s our writer’s soul.