Grace for the daily grind

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Your plate is crowded.  You wear many hats throughout the day/week/month.  There’s the laundry, the kids and their activities, your job, cooking dinner, responding to emails, unloading the dishwasher… and that’s just the beginning.  Just to make it through the day.  To keep the status quo.  Nevermind when you have something big that needs your attention too.

Exhausting, right?

There are some days where I feel like unpacking my lunch {that I took to work} and cooking dinner after working all day should just be a complete day.  Like maybe there should be a crowd of people cheering me on because those mundane tasks should count for something.  They take up so much time and yet, they’re there again waiting on me tomorrow.  And the next day.  And the next.  So they’re never really done.  

One day last week, it just all hit me.  This is all so draining and I’m not even getting to the stuff I actually want to do.  Like blog or decorate a nursery.  I spend all my time getting things crossed off a list and I started to get annoyed.  There’s always something more that needs to be done.  One more paper to grade at work.  One more load of laundry to do at home.  One more.  One more.  One more.  I never feel caught up.

And then I started to realize that we’re often so quick to give grace to someone else and understand their plight.  But what about ourselves?  How can I give myself grace?  Because the daily grind desperately needs it.

So I’m here to be that cheerleader for you today.  {That’s probably the only time you’ll ever hear me refer to myself that way. #baller}  To tell you that sometimes you just have to be ok with not getting it all done.  And rather than focusing on what you didn’t do, notice the things that you did accomplish.  Reflect back through the day and notice those little moments.

Like when a student comes up to you to say that the book you read in class meant a lot to her and, in some ways, changed in her life.  #heartmelted

We’re often our own worst critic so giving grace to others may come naturally.  Extending that same grace to me?  Now that takes a brand new mindset.  So let’s do it together.

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By Claire | Filed under fashion + feathers
  • Living on Cloud Nine

    Not only is “his” Grace enough but if we extend that grace to each other and lift one another up, well, we can do ANYTHING!!!! GREAT Post girl!! Have an amazing day!!

  • Kristin Darhower

    So true, Claire. And I’m a fan of giving ourselves grace. Sometimes “grace” becomes a “habit” and sometimes those habits aren’t good, so I’m not sure where to draw the line. i.e. the idea of cooking dinner was nonexistent for about 3 weeks here and I started relying on convenience foods (take-out, etc) and I hate that so I’m trying really hard to break that habit.

  • mdb0112

    I’m totally with you on this. I am so bogged down by the every day things of being an adult, and when people post about it on Facebook, I want to punch them in the face. We all do it and it’s hard. But you’re right! Giving grace to ourselves has to happen more. And way to rock that book! :) xo, Champagne&Suburbs

  • Yes, yes, yes. You’re the best.

  • Pamela

    Such a great post girl!! I could not agree more. Life can be tough sometimes and getting the every day things done can be such a task but we need to give ourselves grace more often!
    <3, Pamela
    Sequins & Sea Breezes

  • sometimes I just hate showering or brushing my teeth or eating breakfast. Things that just take up time that you have to do OVER and OVER and OVER again. It seems like such a waste of time and effort when you’re just going to have to do it again the next day lol

    Sarah
    Midwest Darling

  • Shauna C

    All of this is so true and I needed this reminder today. Thanks for sharing :)

    Shauna

    http://www.lipglossandlace.net

  • Love this – such a great post gurlie! I definitely suffer from this as well, and it’s so refreshing to take a step back sometimes and give ourselves some grace :)

    Green Fashionista

  • Yes, yes, yes!! I am so with you on this post! There is ALWAYS one more thing to cross off the list and it’s nearly impossible to give myself grace when I’m constantly telling my friends to do it for themselves! This came at just the right time as I will need to give myself all the grace in the world once baby boy arrives! You’d think it’s a given that new moms just ignore the to do list for a month or so after delivery, but not me! Ugh!

  • Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom

    I SO needed to read this today. I feel like my life is one never-ending to-do list! And, yes… sometimes just two simple tasks seem like so much more!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

  • This is such a good pointer! It’s important to remember to be more gentle with ourselves – we manage to get a lot done, even if it wasn’t a full to-do list or the thing we most wanted to do that day.

    Although I wish I could get my full to-do list done every day! I’ve started being a lot kinder with myself. The dishes don’t HAVE to be done every night. It would be nice if they were, but we still have clean plates to eat from the next day if I want to go to bed a little earlier!

    Away From The Blue Blog

  • Jo Elizabeth

    YES YES YES woman! Since moving in March my life did a freaking 180. I went from having it all together (respectively) to complete chaos constantly. I think I’m finally finding a way to thrive amidst the chaos, but it’s been a challenge for sure. My floor isn’t usually swept. And the laundry is hidden in the laundry room. I think you’ve just inspired a post on how to fake a clean house. I can’t stand living in a mess, but I also don’t have the time to keep it all together all the freaking time!

  • Great reminder girl! I’ve been working on giving myself grace lately and being ok with not checking this off and that off, picking the things that matter most and allowing myself to just relax!

    Brooke
    Pumps and Push-Ups

  • This morning I had to do some calming breaths when I started to think about all the things I had to do today. I swear how did we sign up for so many things on such a daily basis? I swear yes getting the laundry done and dinner served should deserve a standing ovation sometimes :-)

  • LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Seriously! This is a HUGE struggle for me right now and yes, we are our own worst critic. I just cannot get it all together between M-F work, BC work, church, friends, random things, travel, not enough hours in a day and constantly feeling like I’m letting someone down. Yet I feel like I’m one of the first to tell someone else they are doing great and they are only human – but I never tell myself that. Great post!

  • Needed this. In huge ways. Wish I could have caught it the day you posted it – stupid blog lovin’. Students can have a HUGE impact on us and we didn’t even know we made an inkling of a difference with many. Great post, Claire.