I don’t usually accept challenges because I’d just rather hang out, sit back and enjoy life without rules and time limits.

However, the sweet, sweet Tara over at “You Know it Happens at Your House, too” has challenged me and all those other fabulous people who follow her blog and Facebook page to complete a little project.  And I happen to think it’s amazing.

It’s Called:

I AM _________________.  WHO ARE YOU?

Before I list the directions and start my own list, let me say this about that:  EVERY DAY people everywhere define themselves by the limits, the boundaries, the titles, the rules, the descriptions, and the ugliness other people place on them.  It’s time to stop.  Define yourself.  The only limits you have should be your own limits.  Boundaries?  Set them yourself.  And titles?  I don’t need a title to tell me who I am.  That’s why I usually put some absolutely crazy ‘title’ on the line that asks my occupation.  Wonder Woman, Slayer of Dragons, Trophy Wife, Face-booker….anything that captures my fancy at that moment, because I can never imagine being able to list one word that would describe me.

With that said, here’s the deal:

“Set a timer for five minutes and write.  Write using the prompt I AM ____________.  Don’t edit, don’t proofread, don’t change it.  You are not required to share it with anyone, even though I hope you do, but keep it close by so that on those days when you are feeling really horrible about yourself (we all know that we have those days), you can look back and remember all the things that make you wonderful.”

So here we go.

I am ~  a grandmother that raises a grandchild as my own.  This was not the course I picked out when I was foolishly planning my life, but we’re working thru it and the joys from this adventure are amazing.  Having this little girl in our lives is truly a blessing.

I am ~ funny.  Often my friends will throw that ‘crazy’ word out there, but I’m gonna keep funny.  My writing, my words.

I am ~ heavy.  I hate that that’s one of the things I think of when I think about who and what I am, but it’s a fact.  I think I’ll go with ‘fluffy’ next time I’m talking about it though, sounds much better.

I am ~ a chocolate and sweets lover. I would rather have sweets that real food any day EVER.  And brownies?  One of the 4 major food groups.

I am ~ smart.  I think we are afraid to say that out loud because of what people will think when they hear you say that.  So what!  I am smart.  I’m not smarter than anyone else, or everyone else or think that I’m better than anyone for it.  But I think I’m pretty smart over all.

I am ~ a mother to a grown child and a grandmother to another baby that I don’t raise, and see less than I’d like.  The relationships we have as a family are never easy to navigate, and when you throw curve balls into the mix, you can expect the waters to get rougher. We just keep on paddling and hoping the storm clears soon.

I am ~ a fixer.  I tend to jump into things to fix them, even uninvited. I am working HARD on that…the jumping into uninvited things, I mean. I’m still gonna fix things, but maybe I’ll work on waiting for the invitation.

So, that’s me.  There is SOOOO much more to me than these few things, but I went with the first things I thought of.

Please think about writing down your own list of things that you are and make you wonderful.  It’s a fabulous thing to put to paper and a good reminder that we are pretty damn awesome!

And, if you do this and want to share it, I’d love to hear about it.  You can post it on my Facebook page under this post (it will be posted on Facebook as well).  If you don’t want to share it, do it and keep it for yourself.  Do it for YOU.