It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I saw some clients, went to a networking luncheon, caught up with a friend on the phone, cooked dinner, and went to a dance class. Did I get everything done that I had hoped for today? Nope. And I am okay with that. Self worth is not measured by the number of items ticked off a to-do list. At the end of the day, I did good enough.
Self worth is not measured by the number of items ticked off a to-do list.
It wasn’t always easy for me to say that. I didn’t want to be “good enough” I wanted to be perfect. “Good enough” didn’t sound like … enough. I spent a lot of energy trying to be perfect and being productive felt like a pretty good measuring stick.
I am a list person. Lists help me stay organized, but I used to look at my to-do lists and judge myself for not getting more done. I had created an expectation for myself that I was super woman: I could do it all and it would be perfect. I once heard someone say that expectations are resentments waiting to happen. It only makes sense that when I failed to live up to my own high expectations that I became angry and resentful. I set myself up for it. I would get angry at life because I had so much to do, I would be angry with the friend for calling and taking up my time, but mostly I would be angry with myself for not getting more done.
Expectations are resentments waiting to happen
From time to time, I still find myself falling into the productivity-as-self-worth-trap. I can remember talking to my ex-husband at the end of the day and I would often describe it as a good day if I “got a lot done” and a bad day if I hadn’t. While I do enjoy the feeling of getting a task done, I no longer beat myself up for not getting it all done, or not getting it done perfectly. Because let’s face it, there is always more to do, and I am not perfect. Now I get to have days like today and that feels so, so good!
Today, I choose to let go.
Today, I strive for good enough.
Today, I celebrate the things I am grateful for.
Today, I had an awesome day.
Wow- this IS me!
How can you step back and prioritize what made the “list” of awesome?? I often find myself out til the last moments of daylight trying to seek the gold seal of the day…. Its gotta be a perfect day-if not, keep going, right!?! Its exhausting!