JIF kid

I grew up a JIF kid. Smooth, crunchy, my taste varied by year. But my mom stayed true to JIF.

I also grew up a TIDE kid. I guess my sensitive skin and TIDE got along. I could always count on that fresh linen smell.

Today, I am a SKIPPY and ARM & HAMMER woman.

I was in the grocery store today and picked up both products. As I drove away from the store, I got to thinking. About habits, choices, nurture vs. nature, our world today, brand loyalty, and how I was raised. How I could grow up on one thing and switch over to another. It was a lot to think about at 7:30am, but I get started early these days.

I find it fascinating that we grow up with our parents forming our everyday needs, paths, and habits. And then one day we leave home and form our own needs, paths and habits. Somehow we stray from what we know and have come to love new choices, new brands, new styles.

We have a whole lot more choices out there than our parents ever had. Heck, there are a lot more choices out there since we were kids, and that was not that long ago! I don't know if it's just me or not, but there are TOO many choices. I mean, the peanut butter aisle at the grocery store is overwhelming. There is crunchy, creamy, organic, natural, with honey, with chocolate, whipped, fat free, less fat. I feel like I'm being judged if I don't get the fat free brand even though I know its just filled with chemicals.

What happened to just peanut butter? 

And the detergent aisle.  Powder, liquid, tablets, natural, scented, unscented, HD efficient, bleach alternative, sensitive skin. Talk about over simplified. All I aim to do is smell clean and not offend anyone. Is there a bottle for that?

I am a sale girl and frankly, I have come to love ARM & HAMMER because more often than not there is a buy one, get one. And there is a sensitive skin version. That's always a win in my book.

My point in all this really has nothing to do with peanut butter or laundry detergent. It has to do with the overstimulation and excessive choices we have in life these days. Somehow SIMPLICITY has disappeared from our lives.

I never had any ADD tendencies as a kid. I was focused on school, swimming and eating, that was it. Today, as a grown adult, I am very, very ADD. I struggle to focus on one thing at a time. Squirrel. I forget things because I'm thinking of something else. I stop mid conversation with a blank mind. Squirrel. I can hardly ever just sit, even when I know its the best thing for me.

I blame the excessive choices. Society's technology and social media pressures. This fast paced world in which we live. This life where kids now look at you as if you have 5 heads if you suggest building a fort with sticks in the woods. These choices that involve too many options and too little time.

I wonder what would happen if we all just went back to being JIF and TIDE kids because those were the simple options...