Yep, it’s been ten whole days since I’ve published a blog post. I say this because I just really want to be upfront here and acknowledge my lack of posting anything here for more than a week. Just so you know that I’m aware.

But you know? Life.

Sometimes life gets a bit big for its britches, and quite frankly it’s been really busy bothering me these past ten days. Computers have been crashing left and right around here and wisdom teeth were being removed (not by me, of course) and just a whole host of other things that happen to a whole host of other people too, so there’s no need to go into it all.

Sometimes life just gets away from you. Or me, in this case.

But really, life gets away from all of us at one time or another. Computers and other things do crash occasionally, and pieces need to be picked up or fixed up or taken to people who know how to do the picking and fixing.

Life gets away from all of us, and things we want to do slip through the cracks, because things happen – because life happens. And it isn’t always convenient or well-timed. So we don’t get stuff done.

The question is – what do you do when life happens and happens to upend all of your plans? How do you react when you don’t get stuff done and you know it?

Blame? Shame? Guilt? Regret? Negative self-talk?

You get the picture.

Feeling bad because we failed to do what we’d told ourselves we should do, feeling bad because even though we’re inundated with all of this unplanned life-stuff, we’re all too aware of the pileup of un-done-stuff – this is generally our go-to reaction.

Motivational writers and life coaches are always talking about being your best and being a success and being on your game, but sometimes what you really need to do is to stop and breathe and let yourself off the hook.

Sometimes the most important, bravest, and best thing you can do is to just give yourself permission to let it go.

Compassion is not solely reserved for other people. Self-compassion may be hard to give, especially if you’re stuck on your to-do list and it’s not getting done, but the truth is that when life becomes crazy if all you can manage is to make it through the day, you’ve succeeded.

Here’s the thing – I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know anyone who does. No mere mortal is omniscient, no matter how well they market themselves or how inspirational their message is.

But I do know some things for sure, and for sure I know that at one time or another, or maybe many times in a row, life will throw us a curve ball or five and it might take all we’ve got in us to just catch them all.

I do know that we will, occasionally, fall behind or fail to follow through because other things – other more important and more pressing things – show up in our lives and we simply have to put our time and attention there.

I do know that simply surviving the day can be the hardest work of all some days.

And if all you could do today was make it through the day?

You’re a success.

~xo,
LuAnne