Self-sabotage

Whenever I want something for my pleasure, I feel guilty. I have the urge to justify it either as a need or necessity. 

I am 33 years old. Living abroad since I am 24. I got married and divorced. Lived in 4 different countries, visited more than 10 countries. I had more than 10 relationships. Lost my grandfather and two uncles who were all like a father to me. Never had a sibling, but I am the eldest of grandchildren. Long story short, I lived a lot. But I still can not ask anything just for my own pleasure. I can stand up for anyone's rights, I can raise my voice for my own rights, I can do things just for fun without looking for any better reason; but I can not do things for my own pleasure without feeling guilty. 

Since I am interested in psychology I have been always aware of my self-sabotages and also suspicious that I don't think I deserve to be happy, but I wouldn't know why. Today I finally read something that could describe the situation: I was wrongly programmed by my grandmother when I was a child. 

I remember vividly; every time I wanted to buy something inessential, every time I wanted to go somewhere for fun; my grandmother would immediately say "Aren't you ashamed of yourself to ask such a thing? Your mother is working non-stop just for you and you want to spend her efforts for these redundant items? She hasn't been to a holiday for so many years in order to meet your needs and you want to entertain yourself with these silly stuff? Come back to your senses and do something useful." The definition of useful was a bit weird tough; reading books, listening classical music, doing my homework, and that was pretty much all of it. If she ever sees me painting for example, she would come and look at the canvas compassionately and if she likes what she sees, she would say "Wooow! How did you do this? Well done!" and if not "He he he! Did you miss your kindergarden days?"  Thoughtfully, this definition didn't involve any house work for example. Any time if I ever wanted to help my grandmother, she would say "Are you planning to be a housewife?" and would stop me. If she sees that I was genuinely trying to help her rather than procrastinating, then she would say "Go back to your own stuff my girl, when you leave this house you will have to do all these things anyway." 

Now when I look at my own behavioural pattern... whenever I paint or draw, I always feel the urge of creating smth nice. I never spare time for house chores until the time they become inevitable. and I never do something for myself just because I want to, definitely not without justifying to myself. 

The most recent example would be Drago Aygo. I wanted him. But the reason to buy it was because 'I need a travel pillow'. I didn't give myself the permission to buy a plush just because I liked it. And now... there is a holiday in the horizon... 1 week in San Francisco... Where I loved to every bits of it... and I am trying to justify this again. 

Nope. I will not over-think or justify by saying 'I haven't had a holiday since 2009' or 'I need a break' or 'Look at all the stuff I have been through the last 1 year.'. Nope, I will not justify this time. I will also not feel bad for going to a holiday while my best friends can not.  This time I want to do this, and I will, with no shame or regrets! Simply because I want so!