MY FIRST ATTEMPT…

Sunday, August 14th 

So…funny story. I finally got myself to plan my first Self-ish Sunday; I was going to wake up early, put on a cute outfit and take myself out to breakfast. Sunday morning: I wake up, shower, get ready and head to my car. I was super excited and a little nervous. I get into my car, turn the key and “click, click, click, click, click,” NOTHING. My car wouldn’t start, which meant breakfast was out of the question. Of course this would happen to me, but instead of allowing the day to go to shit, I actually learned something.

I have never jumped a car before so this was about to be a trial by fire situation. Luckily I didn’t have to do it alone; a friend of mine helped me out and was able to get me to the mechanic. Anyway, moral of the story: although I was all ready to go to a nice brunch in my super cute new outfit (that I completely sweat through while being stuck outside in the Florida heat next to a hot car engine), I was able to learn some valuable new skills that will help me in the future. 

Being self-ish might not always be a perfectly planned, glamorous day, but it could be a day where you empower yourself through gaining new knowledge. If my car didn’t break down, I would have never learned how to deal with something like that. Unfortunately for my wallet, I needed to get a new battery, but now I know how to jump my car and I have a better understanding of how to deal with a mechanic.

Side note: Ladies, most men tend to think that women don’t know much about cars (not always wrong, aka me) so when it comes to needing help from a mechanic, it’s not uncommon for shady people to see it as an opportunity to take advantage. They might overcharge you or tell you things need to be fixed that aren’t absolutely necessary. Always do a little research ahead of time so you know the gist of what’s going on. Ask a friend who maybe has a bit more knowledge about the situation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; ask them why this might be happening, ask them their service fee, ask them how much it may cost and if there are other options. ASK, ASK, ASK. Do not feel like you need to quickly agree with whatever they are recommending. Make sure you feel comfortable, have a good understanding, and consult with someone you trust. I have multiple friends who are educated on cars and are willing to come with me to make sure everything goes smoothly. I got lucky and the place I went had super nice people. They explained everything to me (because I asked) and only charged me for what really needed to be done. But now, moving forward, I will feel much more confident in a scenario like that if it were to happen again (fingers crossed it doesn’t).

Better luck next week!!

Me on my way to what I thought was going to be a relaxing brunch…