Yet again I had the challenging task of shopping for clothes.  I need a dress;  my husband is getting an award at the State House down in Indianapolis.  But I really have to get myself in the mindset to go and do such a chore.

This time I did a little research about styles for women my age. Yes, I hate to say it but I am a Middle age woman and I need to get over it! I read several articles and with a common point in each – we don’t want to dress like our daughters but, we don’t want to dress like our mothers either, and we end up just looking “frumpy” to avoid the issue all together. That’s me!

So again, I had to educate myself on what would “flatter” my shape without looking like I am in a straight jacket.

To tell you the truth I really need to have someone coach me on the subject like on “What Not To Wear” without all the embarrassment.

I have decided that I really need to stop looking at some of the popular “Super Marts” out there for my clothes. The limited selection at such stores stress me out, I compromise myself and settle for an outfit that they had to offer. I usually end up regretting what I purchased and taking it back or worse wear it and feel like a fish out of water – totally awkward!

I am an adult and need to shop an age appropriate store; maybe there I could find styles that would agree with me. So my husband and I (a couple of country mice) went into the big city to try our luck at some of the department stores there. I told my husband “Now be patient with me, I don’t like doing this. I am only good for maybe four or five outfit changes and then I am at the end of my rope, so please don’t push me.” Long story short we found something for the event, not a dress, but something very nice.

My husband did get a little zealous about giving me things to try on and I had to keep talking myself down the “mental” ledge that I felt that I was hanging from.

But this got me thinking. How many times do we try to make things work for us that deep down inside we know isn’t us to begin with. I am not talking about clothes here but life in general.

Our jobs, how many people choose their profession based on what someone else “thinks” they should do, or forced to choose a higher position when they are content in the position they have.

How about our hobbies? Do you sometimes feel forced to join a league of some sort because they need one more to make a team, and really it’s not your “thing”.

Or how we spend our free time, some people really enjoy taking beautiful photographs of nature but it that isn’t for everyone.

Don’t think badly of yourself if you aren’t fitting in the mold people think you should fit in – you shouldn’t. God did make us all individually different, proof of that is in your finger print.

I want to encourage you to try new things; find out what gives you enjoyment. Don’t compromise your life (a gift from God) by limiting yourself in what others think.