Why It's OK to not Strive for 100%
Photo by Taryn Elliott
Wanting to give your all to the people and things you care most about is a great ambition! But the truth is it isn’t always realistic. Mom life can be crazy! There are so many things to juggle and perfection just doesn’t fit into the chaos.
So, not giving 100% all the time is ok! Despite the lies we often tell ourselves, giving yourself permission to not strive for 100% doesn’t make you lazy and it definitely doesn’t make you a bad person.
In fact, not always striving for 100% can actually be better for our well-being! And by taking care of ourselves we can better care for our families and friends.
Note to self: The more you give to one task, the less energy you‘ll have for the next one.
When you give 100% to one thing you won’t have anything left to give to other parts of your life. Whether that’s a job, housework, or parenting, we can’t overcommit ourselves and still expect to show up as our best selves in the other areas.
You can’t be everything for everyone all the time…
And that’s ok! We’re human– and although I believe moms are true superheroes, we can’t be expected to always fix every situation that comes our way.
Everyday is a new beginning with new opportunities to try again. This stage of our lives is so short– one day when we’re able to sleep through the night again without little ones waking us we’ll miss it!
Even though we consciously know that it’s ok to not strive for 100% all the time, how can we break the habit? It takes some intentional efforts and self-awareness, but the freedom that results is well worth it.
Here are some practical ways to avoid burnout:
Schedule me-time
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to take some me-time! You deserve to spend some time alone to recharge. So, pencil it in! Hire a babysitter for an afternoon and give yourself space to take a breather. When you take time to care for yourself well you’ll be able to care for those around you better!
Say “no”
If you’re anything like me, you like to overcommit to things. We’re people pleasers! It can be so hard to say “no” to things that we don’t have time for, but it’s such an important thing to practice. Recognizing your limits and knowing when to tell people “No” sometimes is so empowering!
Give yourself grace
Even in the chaos of the day-to-day, remember that you are enough! You are doing amazing things and you don’t have to strive to earn your worth from anyone’s validation.
It’s ok to not strive for 100% all the time! Know that your efforts are already more than enough and that there are simple ways to remind yourself of this encouragement.