Posted by Some days, I can only strive for a C+ grade on my day. It just feels too overwhelming to be an A student in the Game of Life every damn day. So, I do the minimum work to get a passing grade as Mom/Woman/Parent/Homeowner and I call it good enough (emphasis important there). We are the only ones who grade ourselves, so what would it feel like for you to give yourself a break from the Wonder Woman/Superman cape for a day, and have a minimum day? Or let’s even call it a Good Enough Day…
- Run one block, or do one push up/sit-up/exercise thing
- Put one dish in the dishwasher
- Fold one shirt
- Floss one tooth
- Pay only one bill
- Kiss and hug as often as you can
- Make one phone call that is needed (not the whole list)
- Do one chore on your list
We cannot get out of being responsible at work where they pay us to be A people. But some days, we wake up and the prospect of the double duty day feels like glue on our backsides. The pillows won’t release us to get out and get going… It feels like the list got too long- she needs a Dr. appointment, dishes are everywhere (who leaves them by the couch?!?), no clean underwear, Mom needs a phone call, he needs a tux rental, the bread is gone, and the office is still an 8-hour day… and then ZOOM- we are transported to Overwhelmville; a quaint little town where we feel sorry for ourselves, and get really grouchy (Don’t ask me to be light and loving in that place. There is no room for that in Overwhelmville).
BUT- if we promise ourselves when we wake up that we can be a C+ person today, and THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH, the pillows untangle a bit from our head, we can take a deep breath, one tooth gets brushed, one load gets washed, we have space to hug and kiss and hear the story about lunch yesterday. Most of all, we can imagine that all will be ok. We have enough to give our relationships, to give ourselves, and the world won’t stop spinning if I only wash one dish today*.
Progress, not perfection…
*You know, the sneaky thing is, if we take the pressure off of ourselves, suddenly it is ok to clean the entire kitchen, because that is “extra”, above and beyond the C+ Plan for the day, and we are CHOOSING to do it. So don’t worry, the house won’t fall down around you if you let up on your expectations of yourself.
3-Legged Table: Reframing Our Beautiful Chaos 