The tooth fairy is also fairly convincing

Karma. It’s basically the belief that you get back whatever you put in. Sort of.  

A cosmic balance sheet, you do a good favour for someone and somehow magically the universe records this and pays you back in kind.

Or, if you’re more of the evil twin type character, you do something dodgy and karma comes back and bites you on the butt when you’re not watching. It’s like the ACCC of souls, wanting to make sure it’s an even playing field, that bullies are put in their spots and that do-gooders out there are recognised and rewarded.

I don’t know, I think it’s a bit easier to believe that Santa really does know if you’ve been bad or good, and that is what determines whether the fat man is going to slip down your chimney.

The tooth fairy is also fairly convincing. After all, she follows rules of such simplicity – tooth falls out, money appears, there’s no question of deserving, of being good or bad, just a simple and straightforward transaction.

Ok ok, they’re stories for kids, I know … but why haven’t we relegated karma to a sweet or threatening (in the case of the kids next door that shoot Nerf bullets at the cat) bedtime story for kids?

I’m not meaning to be a doubting Thomas on the karma front, and certainly I have lived my life thus far “doing unto others” etc, etc … but I do think I’ve been kind of over-extending myself and always giving just a tincy bit too much, based on the sub-conscious rationale of “it will be good karma”.

I’ve given to charity regularly, I exercise with my kid (come on, that’s worthy of good karma. You’ve no idea how frustrating it is to try to jog beside a scooter that’s intent on taking out your heels every third step and your ankle bone every turn); I’ve worked hard at launching my businesses; I pay my bills before my savings program (actually I never got around to opening it because I had nothing to put in there); I attend school pageants where my son is invariably something I can’t quite figure out, such as the Mexican in the Christmas story (I kid you not); and to add insult to injury just this week someone actually said to me “it will be good karma” if you do what I’m asking you to do. Talk about reverse threatening. Doesn’t that just scream “and bad karma if you don’t”!?

My point is that I don’t really recall something that seems to recognise the amount of good I’m sending karma’s way coming back to me. I haven’t won lotto, or even a meat tray at the local bowling club raffle, I haven’t had some tall, dark and handsome guy whisk me away for a tropical holiday, even thought I KNOW I deserve one … what is going on?!

So I’m taking matters into my own hands.

If every coffee shop on the planet can count on your loyalty with a simple star cut-out on a small piece of cardboard, well I’m up for creating my own loyalty card.

I’m going to take my business card and stab it with a pencil every time I do something “karma-worthy”.

I reckon by the time the card is stabbed beyond recognition, I’m going to reward myself with my own karma treat – a bottle of champagne – and I’m going to flick through a tropical island travel brochure … any tall, dark handsome men wanting to whisk away will surely follow!

Sometimes in life, I think you have to recognise the good that you are doing and consciously reward yourself. I’m not sure that karma dishes out enough … then again, I did survive a house fire! This month make sure you keep the good deeds up, but also just reward yourself!

Have a great month

Abby xx