I just spent $41 on four tubes of toothpaste.
Oh, not just any toothpaste. It’s a toothpaste that transcends the constructs of general dental care. The delicate taste, the unassuming texture, the pearlish smoothness of my teeth after I brush… The first time I tried it, I fell wildly in love.
After somehow getting wind of this through the ether, the company immediately suspended production.
This happens to me a lot.
That’s why when I find a product I like, I’ll buy a basket-load because I know without a doubt that within one year, the product will cease to be produced.
Am I aware that the belief that my appreciation as a consumer somehow affects the chain of supply and demand is a gross cognitive distortion of over-personalization bordering on narcissism?
You bet. But that doesn’t stop it from happening.
So, I ask you: Can you blame me for dropping beaucoup bucks on eBay for a toothpaste that tastes like I just brushed my teeth with dessert (creamy mint!) and makes my mouth feel cleaner than if I ran it through the dishwasher twice a day?
I think not. And if so, I proffer an insouciant bow in your direction.
Items no longer in production because my love of them became their kiss of death:
Boston Lite Popcorn
J.F. Lazartigue Protective Hair Cream
The Body Shoppe (anything; they closed)
Merona V-neck Slub Tank Tops
Desert Essence Pink Himalayan Salt Toothpaste (aforementioned)
… and, sadly, so many more.
But seriously, besides the “I control the market with my mind” schtick, there’s a larger point here.
When something is important to us, it doesn’t matter a whit what others think. What truly matters is that we are experiencing life in a way that brings joy to us.
Someone may look at my toothpaste purchase as extravagant and silly in this struggling economy. (Admittedly, I had a moment of conscientious contemplation before I clicked the PLACE ORDER button.) But that doesn’t matter. It’s all relative, you see. What is deemed vital for one person may seem insignificant to another.
That’s diversity. All living things thrive on diversity. It’s how we evolve (not to mention how we stave off boredom).
The general rule is this: If you’re not hurting yourself or anyone else, you’re good.
So, the next time you’re considering doing something just for you but you’re hesitating because you wonder how it will look to others, stop. Ask yourself what anyone else’s opinion of your choice has to do with You. Really. What impact does it have?
Ride it out: A hitched eyebrow? A quizzical look? A snide comment? Complete ostracization from the tribe? (There you are at the edge of the darkening forest, your rucksack flung unceremoniously at your feet by the village security goon…)
Really.
Conversely, consider the benefits of giving yourself the gift of contentment. Of peace. Of choosing your Self over the buzz of the collective hive mind.
Go ahead. Be diverse. Celebrate you. You’re allowed.
And just know I’ll be smiling for you with shiny white teeth.
This sounds like me. 😊