Is it Just Me? Actually, yes.

“I’d like a medium, with cheese, and fries please,” I told the kid at the front register.

I am normally pretty darn close to “very healthy and organic”. I have no meat or dairy in my house, I try to make healthy choices when I am on my own, I go to yoga. But this day was different. Chimay, wine and old fashioneds weren’t the best combo the night before, and after downing glass after glass of water, I needed to call for reinforcement: grease, a.k.a., a cheeseburger and fries.

I sat patiently waiting for my made-to-order burger. At last, it arrived. And I dove right in-  without even looking at the burger. The second that turkey patty hit my lips, I knew it was the wrong order. How did I not notice it!? I picked up the partially eaten burger and walked back to the counter.

“Hi, I think this is turkey… is this turkey?” I asked.

“Yes,” the guy replied.

“Listen, normally, I would just eat this because turkey is better for you and this tastes great. But I am hung over and I need some beef grease, so can I just get the one I actually ordered, please?” I tried to sound as non-alcoholic-bummie-perturbed-a-hole as possible.

The guy looked at me, looked at the burger, took it from me and tossed it. He remade the burger… and it was delicious.

About a week later, I was at a deli and ordered a Turkey Pastrami sandwich, and a bag of cookies for a client of mine. I grabbed it all to go and as I rushed out the door and started inhaling the sandwich in my car, I realized it was not turkey pastrami, it was just turkey. Plain. With nothing on it. I mean nothing but bread, dry-bum turkey, and a sad piece of lettuce. It was like eating a sand-wich. Oh wait, I mean a sandwich full of sand. Lol. It was that dry.  The bag of cookies? A bag of pastries.

Strike two.

Today I ordered a falafel and a gyro. Girlfriend tried to give me a falafel and a chicken sandwich.

How does the saying go? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Three times and I’m wondering if my speech patterns are not clear enough. Yeah, I start looking at myself.

Ok, so obviously there is something going on with my particular communication and food places. Or maybe I am not supposed to be eating meat. Regardless, there’s something going on, and by the third time, I’m really starting to think it’s me.

This can also be true in life. Whether ordering food, interacting with people at work, with friends…. where everyone seems to be off but you? Well,  maybe everyone is just fine, and you’re the one who’s jacked. It’s time to start looking internally at the issue.

Coincidentally, my friend the Professor, posted a New York Times opinion article on Facebook about something really similar. It’s about successful people… and the difference in being successful (in this article’s opinion) is being open to self-analysis. Being self-critical in a productive way. If something doesn’t seem to work, if there’s an obstacle, these successful people  don’t necessarily try to change the environment- they change themselves. They change their internal program so that they can succeed in an external world… and magically, that world begins to change.

I love when people want to take responsibility for themselves and do something about it. It drives me nuts when people blame teachers for their child’s poor grades, or others for their unhappiness. We have all the answers for everything- within ourselves. We have the ability to achieve whatever we want- it’s all about looking internally and changing things up with you.

I’m going to try ordering a coffee tomorrow. I think I’ll get an almond milk vanilla latte. Wish me luck on ordering- I’m going to take it more slowly, louder, and with a smile!