Guilty pleasures.  You got any?  Something you secretly like doing that you wish nobody knew about?

I hear people talk about them all the time.  “It’s terrible, but Taylor Swift’s music is my guilty pleasure.”  “I really shouldn’t have slept in.  It’s my guilty pleasure.”  “I binge-watch terrible old t.v. shows on Netflix.  It’s my guilty pleasure.”

And I say ENOUGH already.

But I’m not saying it for the reason you might THINK I’m saying it.  I’m not AT ALL saying to give up those things that are your guilty pleasures.  But for the love of all things holy, please stop feeling like you have to be ashamed, apologetic, or secretive about liking the things that you like!!

Did you hear me?  It’s okay to like what you like.  It’s what makes you unique.

We’re not all supposed to like the same things or activities or people.  We’re not all supposed to pretend that we don’t like the things we actually like so that we can be “accepted” by the judges among us.

And we’re NOT supposed to be sorry we are who we are.

So, let’s just start calling them something different.  Instead of guilty pleasures, let’s call them “my personal fun-time” or “me-isms” or hell, what about just PLEASURES.

Because we’ll never get as far in this world as we want to if we harbor shame for who are really and truly are.  I believe that there’s enough room in this world for me AND all of the quirkiness that comes along with me and makes me interesting.

No, I’m not like everyone else.  Am I really supposed to be aiming for that?  So many people are all about being yourself, but there’s so much that we don’t want to admit to about who we really are.

I have several “me-isms” that I don’t mind sharing.  I freaking love Miley Cyrus’ song “Party in the USA.”  When I had cable, I binge-watched “Ghost Adventures” like nobody’s business.  And when I get a chance to sleep in (as late as my little heart desires), I sleep in.  Because sleeping in doesn’t make me lazy or feel ashamed.  It’s one of the benefits of having the freedom to make my own schedule.  And I think that’s pretty freaking cool.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best when he said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” 

So, who’s with me?  You gonna start letting go of calling the things you’re a bit red-faced about your guilty pleasures?

If you could change the name of them, what would YOU call them?