The Art of Letting Go For the Moments That Matter
Oh, you think I haven’t been there?
Standing in my kitchen staring at an overflowing sink of dishes (again)… with ZERO desire to get them done.
Wish I could say I was the queen of getting it ALL done, but I’ve been there, done that, practically made the t-shirt for it myself.
We’ve all had those moments though haven’t we?
When we didn’t want to do one.more.basket.of.laundry...
Or, tidy the bathroom vanity…
Or, cook a wholesome meal with all the fixings…
Can I share a secret with you?
Let it go, sister. The guilt, the disappointment, the hustle to constantly do it all. We weren’t made to be robots that GO GO GO—so why should you?
Here’s what I’ve learned in my years trying to “balance it all” as a hardworking and devoted wife and mother… we CAN have it all… when we STOP TRYING TO HAVE IT ALL.
Confused? Stay with me here...
Balance is what happens in the moments that we slow down. It’s the successes and little wins we have when we say stop to breathe.
Okay, so the sink is full of dishes? But you snuck in a run before the sun went down, didn't you? And now your head is cleared, your muscles are stronger, and you’ll tackle the dishes when the babies are sleeping. Dishes don’t require sunlight—but today, you did. You took care of YOU—and I bet that makes you feel more prepared to take care of the ones you love, doesn’t it?
And I hear you… healthy, balanced meals ARE SO IMPORTANT. We aim for it as many nights as possible, too. Heck, I want to eat healthy just as much as I want my boys to eat healthy… but pizza every once in a while when we’re running home late from sports? Yes, mama, that’s fine, too. Instead of standing in the kitchen furiously cooking a last-minute meal, you played Pictionary with your kids until the pizza was delivered. Good for your soul? I think so.
Allowing ourselves to slow down and embrace the chaos just a bit opens the door and gives us space to do other things that make such a more meaningful impact. Think about it, 10 years from now, do you think your kids will remember a messy kitchen… or night spent building the biggest fort ever constructed in the history of all forts EVER constructed?
We both know the answer.
Give yourself some grace—and maybe a little self-care loving while you’re at it—and remember that in the grand scheme of things, you are doing an amazing job. You love fiercely and it shows.
So let the bed go unmade as you hurry out the door for your (overdue) date night with your hubs… you deserve it.
You’ll be so much better for it when you do.