Humble Juice.

A New, Much Needed, Diet for the American People…  not to address the obesity epidemic, but rather the Entitlement Epidemic.

Humble Juice.

This is not about our standing in the world…  this is about our standing with each other.

A watershed moment of growing up is when you suddenly realize you’re not nearly as special as you think you are.  Not only does the Universe not revolve around you… you find out the Universe doesn’t care about you at all.  And it should never be expected to.

This typically coincides with the realization that your parents are not as brilliant and infallible as you thought they were, pets come and go and nothing is free as someone somewhere is paying for it.  But far, far, too many of us never seem to grow up.  And this is a problem because those individuals pose as adults… doing adult things like raising children, buying stuff they can’t afford and voting.  All of these actions effect the rest of us, thus making it our problem.

It’s time for you, and you know who you are whether you want to admit it or not, to drink a full gallon of Humble Juice each and every day while reminding yourself you’re not entitled to anything.  Nothing.  Nobody “owes” you anything… Ever.  You are amazingly unique… just like EVERY other person that is ,or ever has been, alive.

Look in the mirror and repeat the following every morning…

“I am not entitled to a certain standard of living.  My desired standard of living is mine and mine alone.  Because of this, it is mine to support.  If I cannot maintain my desired standard of living it will fall on only my shoulders to answer any debts I accumulated and adjust accordingly my level of what is acceptable.  It is no one else’s problem unless I owe them money.

I am not Entitled to a Loan.  Nobody is obligated to hand me a bunch of money to go buy stuff.  It doesn’t matter what I want to buy… could be a house, could be a horse… it’s not my money and I don’t have a right to it.  When begging for a loan I will respect this fact.  I might bring along a shot of Humble Juice for that moment when I inevitably forget.

I am not entitled to the services of Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers, Farmers, Real Estate Agents, Cashiers, Waitresses, Sanitation Workers, Etc. Etc. Etc.  I pay for these… because they don’t “owe” me anything.

I am not entitled to a retirement provided by someone else, such as my family, the government (read: Taxpayers), my children, neighbors, employers, “Rich People” etc.  Note: Social Security is Bankrupt… it was a promise that could never be kept… and those who made it knew this… those collecting Social Security have, or will have, collected far more than they ever put in.  I don’t expect to see dime.

I am not entitled to have my stuff replaced if it is lost, stolen or destroyed.  If I pay insurance, I have a contract with a business… not an entitlement.  If I didn’t pay for insurance… I have my savings.  If I have no savings… I have broken stuff.  I will think ahead and prepare for such possibilities.

I am not entitled to the love and devotion of my spouse, partner, dating chum… whatever.  This entitlement leads to some of the most unhealthy people on earth.  Symptoms of this misconception include but are not limited to Depression, Anxiety, Obesity, Isolation and the collateral damage to children, family and friends.

I am not entitled to my parents money… as a loan, gift, inheritance etc.  I will grow up!  It’s not my money.  I will earn my own money, then spend it as I see fit.  If I want to give it to my kids, then fine… if not, that’s fine too.  Any hurt feelings are the responsiblity of the person whose feelings are hurt.  No one has the right to force me to hand out my property to anyone.  If I do so, it will be by my choice.

Nobody is obligated to me.  Not my friends, associates, parents, children, neighbors, employees, employers, et al.  I enjoy helping others VOLUNTARILY… and I expect nothing in return.  If I get my feelings hurt it is because I expected something, and that’s my fault.  I will learn to get over it by not projecting my expectations onto others.

I will only receive the voluntary kindness of those who can tolerate me… and there will be precious few who will choose to do so.  And, that’s the way it goes.  Because of this, I appreciate those tolerant enough to be my friend… whatever flavor of friend that might be.

It is my responsibility to understand the decisions I make and take responsibility for the outcomes.  It is my responsibility because that is what is required to remain free.  My Liberty depends on it.

I will work every moment of my life to remind myself of this by choking down my personal gallon of Humble Juice each and every day.”  (In my case, chased with two fingers of single malt scotch.)

(One of my personal favorites… mainly because of the underwear comment.  Originally posted 102912)