non-negotiable

Today, I was advised to choose my non-negotiables.  Hmm.. what does that mean?

Merriam Webster defines it as: not open to discussion or modification.  Well, that’s pretty easy. I have some things that are set and that I am not open to changing my mind about.  However, I am prone to flexibility and trying to be open-minded. How does that fit in with holding your non-negotiable position?

Maybe you have to be absolutely sure of your own mind. That’s not very easy, either. How many times do we think we know something and then find out that “We didn’t know what we didn’t know”.

It’s easier to be non-negotiable with ethical or moral issues. Those are pretty cut and dried- right is right and wrong is wrong. Its harder to hold that position with nutrition or health issues because what we are sure is true- changes. Who remembers when everyone was on a cholesterol kick? If your cholesterol was checked and found to be over 200, folks were told to avoid ice cream, butter, eggs and lard. They were supposed to eat margarine and canola oil.  Then, finally, in 2015- those directions were completely reversed. Now, you can eat all the eggs you wish and butter is safer than margarine. Who knew? This kind of misinformation makes it harder to hold tight to a non-negotiable stance in your health.

Recently, I have rethought a lot of things I thought I had nailed down. One example is travel. I have postponed different excursions for work, being busy, time constraints and money. I was going to turn down an invitation for a trip to Alaska and another trip on a river cruise on the Danube. Then, I checked myself. Why would I? Time is non-negotiable. We have a certain amount and how we spend it is our choice. So, I surprised myself. I decided to take both trips. Why not? I can always work, stay busy, and save money.  This year, I am going to do more fun things. Perhaps, that’s my non-negotiable- having fun! Yay!