Good Enough!
Perfectionism can really get the best of me.
It’s a sneaky little thing that I don’t even notice most of the time but I think it’s there more often than I’d like to admit.
What helped me notice it this time was when I was talking to some friends about how I wasn’t getting my stretches done as often as I would like to. I was filling my time doing other things and not making this a priority. And it can be easy to believe that since it’s lobster season and things are ramping up for the tourism season that I really just don’t have enough time to be dedicating towards my stretches.
But that would be a lie.
After taking some time to reflect I realized that my mindset was that if I couldn’t do all of my stretches in one session then it wasn’t worth doing any of them at all.
Writing this now I can see how silly that seems.
If I can’t stretch for 30 minutes but I can for 10 then why wouldn’t I just do that? I think it’s the same part of me that struggles to put a book down mid-chapter. I just have to have a bit more of a real finish to get that sense of accomplishment. But this idea was getting in my way of doing good things for myself.
Dave and I joke around at times and say “it’s not just good, it’s good enough” and I think this is a mindset that would serve me at times like this. Good enough is perfectly ok.
Adjusting my expectations can go a long way here too. Some days I will be able to do a full stretching session or finish an entire chapter in one sitting (without falling asleep!) and some days I can do part of those things and that is totally acceptable. Instead of telling myself I’m not good enough because I didn’t do it 100% I will tell myself that I am awesome for doing what I can with the time and energy that I have.
Self talk is something that I and many others in my life can struggle with so I’m going to remind myself of some great affirmations that I can lean on when I’m feeling this way. Feel free to use them too or add any more in the comment box below!
Good enough is perfectly okay.
I am learning to love all versions of myself.
I am not alone in this.
I have the power to make a change at any moment.
I truly believe that we are all doing our best. And while that will look a little different every day, if we can have love and compassion for ourselves and one another then we can continue to grow and evolve to have the impact in this world that we’re looking for.
Your friend,
Julie Ann
