Some Things I am Good At

Everyone goes through a time when they feel like they can’t do anything right. Right? I recently had a spell where I felt like I was failing at everything. Literally everything. I even made a mental list of all the things I was screwing up so I could rattle it off to my husband when he tried to cheer me up. If you have a list it proves your point after all and I was determined to feel badly about myself.

And then I decided that that was BS. At that point it was time for me to make a different list — a list of things I am good at. Here is what I came up with:

making lists
eating cookies
walking around my neighborhood
writing database queries
choosing ingredients for unusual and delicious salads
hugging
telling my kids I love them
taking photos
untying tricky knots
ordering the best dish on the menu at restaurants
Scrabble, Boggle and other word games
being outraged on my friends’ behalf
playing in the swimming pool
researching for vacations
alphabetizing
cooking pancakes
proofreading writing that is not my own
cheering people on
singing in a fake operatic voice
pinning things to Pinterest
giving people the benefit of the doubt
packing lunches
driving a little over the speed limit but not so much that I get a ticket
drawing cartoon-y unicorns and pigs
drinking tea
wrapping presents
checking Facebook
making cute things out of paper
making my bed every day
decorating the Christmas tree
empathizing
giving my children unsolicited advice
falling asleep
staying calm when someone is hurt
taking care of babies
using Photoshop
remembering all the things we need from the grocery store
laughing

What are you good at?