I have been a huge fan of Oprah. In fact, I watch her shows, even re-runs, daily on cable TV. I am also subscribed to her web site newsletter and have been getting regular updates in my inbox. I thought, since I love the information I get from her site, I might as well share it with you here. For the benefit of those who don’t get Oprah.com updates in their inbox, of course.
One such update contained this article about the 6 things we can all live without from author and political commentator Donna Brazile.
1. The words “in my humble opinion.” According to Ms. Brazile, these words are never humble and never delivered as an opinion.
I don’t use this phrase. I also veer away from using “in my opinion”. I read somewhere that this is a redundant phrase because what comes out of your mouth is already understood as your opinion, unless you say that “according to so and so…”
2. Energy sucks (a.k.a Negative Nancies, Debbie Downers, and Sad Sids). These are people around you who spread negative energy around. They are “the people who find the cloud around every silver lining”, according to Ms. Brazile.
Even before I read this article, I already know this and practices this. I stay away as much as possible from people who suck the energy out of everyone around them. I don’t like hearing anything negative because we can live without that. We can turn any negative thing to a positive one if only we make an effort to do so. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past couple of years. It’s not easy being a source of positive energy but it is doable.
3. Another person to make us complete. The Jerry Maguire syndrome. You complete me.
I know for a fact that single men and women can live a happy and fulfilling life just the same as those who are married or in a state of committed relationship. Being single doesn’t equate to being incomplete and lonely. Sometimes, even those in the best of relationships can still feel quite all alone and lonely. We complete ourselves. We don’t find it in others.
4. Bad wine. According to Ms. Brazile, “life is too short, and good wine too cheap.” I won’t argue with her on that!
5. Magnifying mirrors.
All of us have flaws. We can do something to change it and make it an asset to us. Or we can simply make an effort to ignore it and live with it. We don’t need to magnify every minor flaw we have.
6. A half-caf no-whip double-shot mocha latte.
I am all for indulging once in a while. We all deserve it, especially those of us who are working doubly hard than others. What we should avoid is living luxuriously when we know some of the things we spend for we can actually forgo. Like a double-shot mocha latte daily! We can brew our own coffee and donate that money you would have spent on a branded coffee to a local charity. Sometimes, we need to be sensitive to what’s happening around us. There are so many families that are going hungry around the world. Giving up that mocha latte and donating the money to charity instead is a big deal already.
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There you go! 6 things we can all live without. Do you agree?