Ever have one of those days when everything seems out of place? Like Dorothy, minus the munchkins. The flying monkeys? Yea, they’re still there.
Sometimes nothing is actually wrong, yet everything feels wrong. Or off. Or like you are off. People call it a funk, or say they’re “not themselves,” but what if the problem is that you’re not entirely sure who “yourself” is supposed to be? What if there is no fixed version — only progression, regression, and whatever strange in‑between space we occupy on any given day?
In college, I took a philosophy class. I don’t remember much, but I do remember one lesson: a man commits a crime at 20, no one knows, and he goes on to live a good, decent life. At 40, the crime resurfaces and he’s punished severely. Is that fair? If personality is constantly evolving — if we live in a perpetual state of becoming — then is the 40‑year‑old truly the same person as the 20‑year‑old?
That idea stuck with me. And it resurfaced this week, when I felt out of sorts for no identifiable reason. According to Freud, we’re all juggling the id, ego, and super‑ego — instinct, reality, and conscience — and most days they balance each other out. But some days? One gets louder. One takes over. One pulls you off center.
Me? I’ve always been ruled by my id — quick to act, quick to decide, impulsive but not irrational. I don’t overthink. I live. I move. I do. I don’t regret. But lately, something has felt… misaligned. As if my super‑ego is suddenly chiming in after years of silence. Or my ego is trying to ground me before my id leaps off the ledge.
And here’s the lesson I learned — the one that shifted my perspective:
Feeling “off” doesn’t mean something is wrong. It means something is changing. It means you’re evolving, even if the evolution feels uncomfortable. It means you’re not who you were yesterday — and that’s not a crisis. It’s growth.
Maybe there’s a curtain somewhere and a little Wizard tugging at the controls. Maybe he needs a lunch break. But maybe — just maybe — this strange, unsettled feeling is simply the next version of me arriving.
And that’s not out of place at all.
Cover image, well, that’s me. Today’s post inspired by the WordPress daily prompt: What’s a lesson you’ve learned recently that shifted your perspective? (No, this lesson was recent … but it’s one I come back to, often.)
DISCLAIMER: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice. Also, I’m a writer and an editor. And I try my best to make sure every post is articulate and free from errors. However, being that I edit my own work—and it’s next to impossible to properly edit your own work—I admit, occasionally there may be an error or two I miss. But doing so doesn’t make me an idiot so don’t be mean. Just smile, pat yourself on the back for finding an error and be glad you’re not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes … xoxox
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