I don’t know about you but I’ve got a fair amount of self-help books sitting around. I love to read and have always gravitated to topics that cause me to ponder life’s choices and think about what’s next.
But, having said that, there’s a very distinct part of me that is so clearly my mother’s daughter: she, the feisty little narrator who lives inside my head and sports cat-eye glasses and pedal pushers. She snorts and nudges and whispers Balderdash!! whenever Oprah or some other guru-type starts telling me how we should be living.
You know what I’m talking about: you’ve seen the excitement when “they” are on the precipice of something meaningful. And sometimes they truly have been. I don’t mean any disrespect but I’ve rolled my eyes more times than not when listening to her.
See if I had O’s bazillions of dollars I’d probably have a monthly magazine with my fine self on it, too. I’d smile and cook with Paula Deen and get tips from Dr. Oz and give advice and tell other people how it’s done .. or not. Actually, it’s more likely that I’d set down the oven mitts and turn off the fans and look to the camera to say: You know more than you think you do so when that inner voice that we all have picks at you and pulls you back from doing what others think you should, stifle yourself and listen.
* * *
“I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, ‘Where’s the self-help section?’ She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.”
— George Carlin* * *
How about you? Do you trust your instincts and heed your own advice?
Yes, we do need to listen to that wise little voice in our head….!
yes we do, Dianna. Don’t you think this should be taught in school? I do 🙂
MJ
Yes! That and CPR (if it isn’t already…!)
great point 🙂
As recently as last week on my trip to NJ, I told my supervisor, “I trust my instincts.”
Amen to that, Georgette!
MJ
As a midwife I have to use my intuition. It’s when we don’t listen to it that we get into trouble. Excellent and thought provoking post, MJ 🙂
“it’s when we don’t listen to it that we get into trouble” – truer words were never spoken Sandi !
MJ
I am so nabbing the quote. Spot on….
Nab away 🙂
MJ
I DO trust my instincts, but have also been known to read a good book when I’m “stuck” in an issue. Spiritually, I am VERY guarded @ this point to by into anything “new”
Yep, me too .. I vacillate between trusting and seeking … I think I trust more than I seek though 🙂
MJ
I think I trust my instincts, or at least I’m starting to. However, I think we are all here for each other, so I love to hear other perspectives. So a little of both I guess!!
Agreed… I always had instinct but certainly do trust it more as I get older and more comfortable with who I am. Thanks for weighing in, Tobi!
MJ
🙂
I’d trust myself before someone else. If people want to make them selves better, they quit reading a bunch of books and get off their butts and do something to make themselves better.
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Great point, BobG!
MJ
A “little old lady” in her 70’s approached me one day while I stood in front of our vitamin section at my store and asked me to help her find some wierd sounding herbal supplement. I told her “I’ve never heard of that. Where did you hear of it at?” She replied “The Dr. Oz Show”. I told her (seriously) “I can’t stand that guy. He tells folks of some weird vitamin or herbal supplement that they can find at “any corner drug store” and it will fix whatever is wrong with them. If folks would just eat right, get enough sleep, exercise some and do things in moderation guys like Dr Oz wouldn’t have a TV show.” She looked up at me, touched me on my forearm and said “..but honey…have you seen him? HE’S GORGEOUS!!” We both laughed at her remark, and we went our separate ways.
That’s my take on Oprah and those like her. They live in their world, while the rest of us live normal lives.
R
That’s a great story, RR. I love that little old lady and her response “but he’s gorgeous!” That’s the thing … we don’t want to become a nation of sheep do we?
Cheers!
MJ
I like that quote from George Carlin. I trust my instincts. If these folks have it so together, where is the fruit in their lives?
Maybe they’re busy picking the low hanging fruit? Us and our need to obey and buy their balderdash?
MJ
haha. I like your George Carlin quote. It made me lol. I find that when people try to tell me what to do with my life, I push back. I think it is healthy to be open to hearing what others suggest, but also to listen to my own intuition. I have a few select people I trust that serve as my “committee”. Those particular people hold more weight that the average joe or guru, as you mention above.
yes .. it’s good to have advisors but I find it’s best for me to trust MY instincts. I’ve had to Lysol the advisor cabinet before .. and it happened when I realized the relationship was totally one sided and not pointing in any way towards me. Cheers! MJ