Hey Friends,
We have been conditioned to always try our best. It may have started out in childhood when participating in sports, trying to earn a coveted scratch-and-sniff sticker, or helping out with chores at home. Now, it’s the mantra of adulthood. It drives workplace efficiency. We are encouraged to give 110%. It sounds noble. It almost sounds heroic. The thing is, not all heroes wear capes. Some of us wear blankets because we are tired.
Now, depending on the day, I can be relatively good at math. Here’s one thing I know for sure: the math rarely adds up when you’re trying to give 110% in every area of your life. First of all, who told us to fly right past 100%?!
I’m not here to judge. I’m guilty of it too. After all, we want to give our best in every area. However, how can you continuously give your all when all you have to give is a certain amount of yourself? For instance, right now I have a book deadline in a few weeks. I’m teaching two classes. I am also trying to handle all of the things I need to do as a wife and mother. On top of that, I’m trying to figure out what I want to do as far as being a writer and an author. I'm not sure of my next step. I also have homework to do.
I have about three or four classes left in my graduate degree program, and quite frankly, it’s a lot. I used to be the student who tried to get an A by any means necessary. It didn't matter how long I had to study. It didn’t matter how little I got. It’s funny how our priorities shift as we get older. We realize that there’s more to life than driving for perfection in the grand scheme of things. The class that I’m taking now is 10 weeks long, and we’re about three weeks in. I say this with every ounce of sincerity I can muster: I absolutely have no intention of striving to get an A in this class. I have homework due tonight, and I may or may not do it.
I’ve looked over the syllabus. I know there’s a 10% late deduction, but it gives me an extra seven days to turn in my work. Why would I not take advantage of that? I used to think things like late policies were a punishment, but now I see them as a gift of leniency. Leniency. When’s the last time you had a cup of that? It's not something that we should use sparingly. I feel like it goes hand in hand with kindness, and we could all be a little bit kinder to ourselves.
I’m not saying that I’m not going to try hard in this class. I may…at times. If I happen to get an A, that’s great. If I get a B, I’m perfectly fine with that because maybe that’s all I can handle right now in this season of my life. I don’t think that’s something to feel bad about or to be ashamed of. That’s just life. (Also, I’m still a work in progress; so, C’s make me itch, and a D would have me in a corner somewhere shaking. Don’t judge me.)
Question for you, my friend: What’s your late policy?
In other words, what systems do you have in place that grant you grace when you need it the most? You can’t pour into yourself if you’re dehydrated from watering everyone else.
Let’s see where the conversation takes us. Leave a comment here or on one of my social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, BlueSky, or LinkedIn.
Until next Sunday…
- Ash