I’m so damned overwhelmed. And beyond exhausted.
The week that just passed felt long and heavy, and the week ahead already feels the same. With the start of the Jewish holidays tomorrow night and two significant specialist appointments on my calendar, which are all weighing heavily on me, it’s no wonder I’m feeling especially anxious and scared. There are so many unknowns on the horizon, and it’s all too easy for me to slip into that familiar cycle of doom and self-criticism.
But I heard a quote from a recent Mel Robbins’ podcast, and her words landed softly in my heart as I try and navigate through all the unrelenting noise in my head.
“I need to give myself more credit for how hard I’m trying.” ~ Mel Robbins
Today, on “World Gratitude Day”, I am grateful for her words which have reminded me just how much I need to resist the urge to criticize myself for all the things I think I’m falling short on, and, as she so gently puts it, to “triple down” on all the things I’m doing right.
On Friday afternoon while having one of my regular check-ins with my psychiatrist, and after a really emotionally draining week, I found myself spiraling into a familiar pattern, obsessing over everything I’m not doing, everything I can’t do, and everything my inner-critic insists I’ll never be able to do (nothing both he and my therapist aren’t used to by now). When I finally paused to take a breath, he asked me a question:
“Tell me something you’re winning at right now?”
I think I surprised him, but I definitely surprised myself more (my therapist would’ve been proud 🙃). I didn’t just give him a short, one word response of “NOTHING”, I instead gave him a full paragraph answer, as though I was writing an essay, listing off several recent accomplishments that my heart knew were worthy of mention.
As the Jewish New Year, 5786 begins tomorrow evening, I’m making a promise to myself to keep this affirmation close to my heart. And repeat it often.
Go ahead and try it for yourself:
“I need to give myself more credit for how hard I’m trying.”
Too often, we fixate on what we think we’re not doing well enough. But what if, instead, we gave ourselves credit for everything we are doing right? What if we chose to “triple down” on our efforts, our resilience, and our ability to keep showing up?
Maybe this new year can be a season of giving myself more credit, of celebrating the wins, of finding forgiveness within, and of recognizing the strength it takes to simply show up, even when it’s hard.
An “A” for effort. Effort counts, and that’s worth holding on to.
May 5786 be a year of new beginnings, inner peace and peace around the world, meaningful connections, and ease in our struggles. May we all find space to rest, to breathe, to forgive ourselves, and to feel proud of the strength it takes to keep going — even when no one else sees it.
Wishing all those celebrating a happy, healthy, sweet New Year.
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YouAreEnough 