I May
Yesterday was May Day, which is one of Ms. M‘s favorite holidays, thanks to its cheerful nature. While I have seen pictures of the May Pole Dance (and seen it performed on the television shows Mad Men and Midsomer Murders), I’ve never done it.
(Isn’t ElmFlake’s photo awesome?!?!?)
Dancing around the May Pole looks like a lot of fun, and it is a dance I can do: No steps to the right!
But since I couldn’t base a whole post on something I haven’t done yet, I decided to spin the whole concept of May Day into “I May Day.” I hereby am giving myself permission to be me – all aspects of me, not just the reliable, productive public persona, which is how I want people to see me. By letting go of those expectations, I can feel more comfortable in my own skin. What a liberating way to celebrate this spring holiday!
My I May Day gift to myself is to
- not care what strangers think when I do weird things in public
- cherish the stolen moments alone in the house and just be – without feeling guilty about not cleaning or catching up on email or phone calls
- sing along to songs (loudly) even when I don’t know all the words
- embrace the fact that many of my sensibilities and preferences are from an era long passed
- accept that I might be this size for a while and go out and buy flattering clothes that fit me now
I didn’t know where this process would take me. I’m so glad to see that my personal permission slip was filled with self acceptance. Next up … following through.
What would you give yourself permission to do? or Have you ever danced around the May Pole?
