2 — Life Inventorying; A Reflective Exercise To Cut Through Your own Crap
How to Create a Great Parrot Lifestyle Series
We’re going to inventory our money, our choices, and our friends. This is where we find our true self. We rationalize ourselves into thinking differently about what we are doing. Explaining away our tendencies in excuse format as to why we aren’t who we think we should be. All along, we’re being who we really are every day. Actions speak louder than words.
This is a personal document. It doesn’t need to be shared, unless you find something inside this exercise that requires you to discuss it with a friend, therapist, or family member. Or your parrot. I use my parrots as sounding boards. They are entertained. My ignorance amuses them. I make life inventorying a yearly exercise, to stay on emotional and life goal track. We humans are good at lying to ourselves. Society is good at blowing up our tracks.
You may be thinking, what’s this got to do with parrots? A parrot has zero tolerance for lies. Inside their flock, between the members, or with humans. We can’t live happily with a parrot while we’re lying to ourselves about our lifestyle. It is impossible.
Let’s begin!
You’ll need to create 3 sheets. Friends, Time, Money. Each sheet will have 2 columns.
- Friends. Column one is the first name of all your friends and family. Column two is their core personality trait(s). Here’s your acid test for a friendship (family or otherwise). Would give them the keys to your place while you go on vacation in Europe? Leave the nos off the list. Humans collect and build human networks that best support and declare their own belief systems. Acquaintances are the veneer of our core truth. Finding ourselves is seeing the truth of who we invite into our life.
- Time. Column one is actions. Shopping, traveling, working, couch potatoing, sleeping, eating, gaming, socializing events, etc., and so forth. Column two is for assigning the actions as mandatory or free choice. How you choose to spend your free time is an honest evaluation of your value system. Parrots require your time. Parrots require your time in care and cleaning. Parrots are needy and messy. Relationships require time. Relationships are messy. Focused, empathetic, honest time spent. Your free time inventory list will let you know how you really feel about all that.
- Money. Column one is investments. All the experiences and things you buy with your money. Groceries are not the same as going out to dinner. Column two is where, what, and who you spent the investment on. Money is a brutal truth. Which is why it’s hard to budget. How do you invest your money? Are you an experience hunter? Given to spontaneous travels or experiences? Or do you create a nest at home? Building and filling a sanctuary for yourself and a close set of family and friends. A parrot will prefer and flourish inside a nesting home.
The first time you make this document, you might struggle. You’ll struggle through rationalizations in your head. That’s to be expected. When you find yourself stuck or shocked in a revelation, stop. Relax. Come back to it later. This isn’t a race, it’s your life. This could take some time. It’s best to break down no less than a year’s worth of life. To get a wide view of you. There is no wrong answer to how you choose to live. There is no wrong idea of living if you do no harm. This isn’t about living right or wrong. This is about living well and honestly for yourself. You do that, all else smooths out in front of you. The only reason life is so hard is we are hard on ourselves. Trying to be who we are not. And we don’t even know it, we’re so busing being.
Back to parrots. Parrots parrot. They make no excuses, rationalize no thoughts, and wait on no man or other parrot to catch up. If you are struggling in your life, they will struggle as well. Unless you let them help you. Parrots are incredible assistants to living well. Your parrot will call out your BS before you’ve even made your morning coffee. I know. I face my grey therapist every morning. Felix is happy to point out where I am confused about me, and him.
Parrots could save the world, if we let them.
Follow me and jump sign up for my email. Part 3 — Nothing Less Than Sincerity is next.
Missed Part 1?
