Measuring Up

I'm a mother and a friend, a sister, a daughter, a coach, and a colleague. I am a teacher, a girlfriend, and a co-parent. I'm a housekeeper, a gardener, a cook, and a party planner. I'm a Jesus-loving, plant-based eating hippie at heart. With so much on my 'resume' it's easy to be spread thin and feel as though I'm falling short in several of these categories. It's easy to feel like I don't measure up.

But measure up to what? to who? When I start to beat myself up over all of the ways that I am sub par, I take a step back and ask myself a few important questions.

Are the expectations I've placed on myself realistic? Where did these expectations come from? Have I been giving into the notion of perfectionism? Often times when I am beating myself up the most, it is because I have spent too much time on social media comparing the worst parts of myself to the best parts of others. I have bought into the lie that everyone else has life mastered and I just can't seem to figure it out. I look at the moms who are crushing it and feel like a failure. I look at the vegan food bloggers and feel guilty that I had cheese on my pizza (Man....I love cheese). Everyone has different strengths and social media really is a platform for sharing what we WANT others to see. Remember that! I could write a whole other blog post on perfectionism, but let me just say that none of us are perfect. Not a single soul. I believe we all have God given talents, but no one is talented in every area.

Am I extending grace to myself? Am I acknowledging the things I HAVE accomplished? Instead of looking at all of the areas I am struggling in, I try and remind myself to take a look at the things I am doing well and making an effort in. Instead of beating myself up over what I'm not, I focus on what I am becoming. Grace!

We aren't called to be perfect. We are called to be ourselves. We are flawed, but beautiful...made in the image of the one who reminds us we are loved without an expectation to "measure up."