That's a harsh reality for someone to hear. It's hard for ME to hear. And it sure doesn't seem like I am the one stopping myself. I find myself thinking "if it were up to me..." Fill in the blank with whatever goal or dream or want I have.
"If it were up to me, I would be more successful by now."
"If it were up to me, I would work out way more often."
"If it were up to me, I would feed my family home cooked meals every night."
"If it were up to me, we wouldn't feel so rushed in the mornings."
But it is up to me! And it's up to you! No one is going to tell you what to do. You have to decide how your day, month, and year are going to look. Do you want to run a half marathon this summer? It's freaking doable. YOU have to train. YOU have to fuel your body. YOU have to give up the nightly ice cream or margarita Tuesdays. YOU make the decisions every day to propel you towards whatever goal you have set for yourself.
Here's the catch:
The way you show up for yourself may not look the same as another woman showing up for herself.
Why? Because God made us unique, and we're not supposed to do things exactly the same as someone else. Comparison is the thief of Joy. And you know how much I value Joy. ;)
How can we stop holding ourselves back? It won't be easy. It won't be quick. But it will be worth it!
Stop comparing yourself to others. If your dream is to be a stay-at-home mom, don't spend all your valuable free time comparing yourself to the other moms at MOPS or the ones you follow on Instagram or TikTok. YOU are the one raising those babies and changing their diapers and shaping their minds. YOU were handpicked to be their mama! YOU are capable. Don't let intrusive thoughts about how something else is "doing it better" get in your way of being the best mom you can be.
Be grateful for all that you have. I absolutely love that practicing gratitude is trending nowadays! Honestly, how beautiful is it for thankfulness is being made popular?! Pick 5 things every day that you are grateful for. Try to go behind things like your home and electricity. Those things are great privileges for some, but I challenge you to look for other things. Your daughter's corny joke. A spontaneous phone call with your grandma. Quiet time in the morning you don't normally get. Don't feel like you have to start a journal or post your gratitude all over social media. This practice can be as private or public as you want. Some accountability is good though, and that's where at least writing some things down every day can come in handy.
Check things off your list. We all have a list of things we hope to accomplish. Whether it's a list written in a notebook or just in our heads, that list can grow and grow. And YOU are the only one who can do some of the things on your list. As I write this, I have a list of people I need to reach out to about sponsoring the next Empower Her conference. No one else is going to do that for me, and by putting it off I am holding myself back. So, write down the top three things you need to get done and then go do them.
There are probably more ways we can show up for ourselves. Hopefully, as you go you can recognize those things and incorporate them into your process of achieving whatever goals you've set for yourself. I can't wait to see what YOU do!
XO, Courtney
Comments