Repeat After Me: “I’m Doing the Best That I Can”
What if we’re all just doing the best that we can from our own level of consciousness.
In other words, what if we acknowledged that our ability in any given moment to show up in the world how we want to is deeply connected to all the stuff that shapes our perception of reality:
Emotions – processed vs. unprocessed
Family and Cultural Conditioning – spoken and unspoken “rules” that shaped us
Physical Health -ailments, chronic conditions, pain
Physiology – fight or flight; blood sugar balance, lack of rest
Unhealed Childhood Trauma – Emotional Wounding
Societal Programming
And so much more….
When you consider the impact of these internal factors alone, can you see how narrow minded our negative self talk can be? Criticizing and comparing ourselves just fuels a cycle of shame, guilt and stagnation.
I’ve found this idea that I’m doing my best I can with the resources and awareness available to me, to be especially healing during times of serious emotional turmoil.
It’s given me permission to have that glass of wine, chocolate and zone out on Netflix without totally beating myself up.
It’s helped me to listen to my body, my intuition and allow myself not to “push harder”, or “do more” and just Be.
It’s allowed me to bless my past missteps and shortcomings and seek the life lesson.
But most of all fully embracing, even celebrating that I I’m doing the best that I can has given me the peace that comes from accepting myself exactly how I am in the present moment.
It’s a life changing practice to consciously choose again and again not to hold ourselves to some arbitrary standard of absolute perfection.
Social scientists, spiritual teachers and wellness experts alike all agree that self love and self acceptance is the only real place where we can generate lasting positive life change.
My wish for you is that the next time you feel frustrated with yourself, that you pause, breathe and consider what it would feel like if maybe, just maybe, you’re doing the best that you can.
