Celebrating a Good Old Wallow in Self-Pity

Life kicked me in the nuts this week.

I know, I’m a girl, I’m not supposed to have them.  But life?  Has ways of finding them anyway!!!

From the truly important (my Dad-in-law started radiation treatments for bone cancer, plus it was the five-year anniversary of my Mum-in-law’s death), to the merely annoying (job prospects that seemed so promising at the start of the week dried up and blew away), to the barely worthy of mention (people were rude!), it was a tough one all the way around. 

And sometimes I can keep going, cheer myself up and carry on. 

And sometimes I can’t.  As I’m sure sometimes you can’t.  When that happens, it’s time to have a little wallow in self-pity and just get it over with.  Make a pot of tea or open a bottle of wine.  Sit by yourself or call in reinforcements.  Cry till you’re a snotty, unattractive mess or laugh in the face of the world. 

It’s OK to acknowledge that sometimes it hurts.  Sometimes it feels like all the good stuff is going to others and not you.  Sometimes you just have no idea what you’re supposed to do next. 

Last night Alan and I finished a bottle of wine and I wept all over him.  Today I went to my friend Sandy’s house and let her cat drool on me.  Both events felt good.  Letting down your guard is necessary before you can get back in there. 

And once the wallow is over and your reinforcements have been thanked, you can play your anthem and believe that better times are just round the corner, that life, in fact, is better than it’s felt all week.

My anthem, you ask?

Tubthumping by Chumbwamba.

What’s your favourite pick-me-up when you’ve had one of those days (or weeks)?

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15 Responses to Celebrating a Good Old Wallow in Self-Pity

  1. Chocolate covered anything – nuts, raisins, blueberries and a huge mug of tea! Hope it gets better from hereonin.

  2. Douglass says:

    Weeping when we need to, and having cats slobber on us to keep us real? Sounds like a plan, Barb, to which I can only add this:

  3. Kim says:

    Murphy. and if you were here he would love you more than you could stand, you know it’s true.

    Hope the weekend breezes through and takes the week’s uglies with it and leaves you refreshed and ready to forge ahead. You have tremendous strength (and knowing when to cry is part of the lovely strength of you), I know that is true.

    Kiss.

  4. I generally gravitate towards sad first when my cojones are hurt, so to torture myself a little. This works, but only watch if you feel better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDCLjNsWpHY
    Then I try to make myself happier. In a perfect world this would involve uninterrupted book reading and drinking copious amounts of tea. Now I settle for netflix in bed and an early night. Hope next week is better!

    • Barb says:

      What a sweet video! Thank you.

      Movies and an early night are exactly what’s on the agenda.

      And with all these lovely replies, how could next week not be better?

  5. sandy says:

    Ordinary Day – Great Big Sea. That song got me through some of the darkest days, man. Angel by Sarah McLachlan, or oh my god, so many. Books “Women Who Run With the Wolves”; for one. I’m sooo greatful there are so many creative creative people who’ve shared their stories through their art (Just like YOU Barb!!) and how much that’s helped me.
    Sorry ’bout the cat drool….

  6. Ramona says:

    Chocolate, of course. and some good make your eyes week drama. Preferably medical dramas (grey’s anatomy, private practice). Then I’m just OK.

    Let’s hope these hard times of yours will pass soon. Sorry to hear about your father in law, this is so hard. 🙁

  7. Barb says:

    Thanks so much Ramona! The small stuff is behind me. My father-in-law is an inspiration.

  8. Macy says:

    Barb! It’s OK to have a big major wallow and feel sorry for yourself! Serious illness and unemployment, and, god, even the WEATHER in winter are all the reasons anyone needs.
    Big hugs

    Macy

  9. Barb says:

    thanks so much Macy. You’re very kind.

  10. Pingback: The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever | Happy Simple

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