Yesterday morning I was driving the boys to my mom’s house (they were both sick and she was minding them for the day). My eldest son Lyam (age 7) was just a constant stream of idle chatter in the back seat, spewing random facts and arbitrary observations, with Lyle chiming in occasionally. Typical, yes, but yesterday I had a really important meeting that morning, I had to pretty much present my Company’s case in an industrial dispute matter and quite frankly I was beyond nervous. As per any morning that I have anything stressful going on at work (which is like everyday) I woke up with a knot in my stomach considering all of the catastrophic possibilities that could occur. These along with my mastermind strategies to counteract them are all juggling around in my head; a whirlwind of thoughts, whilst focusing on driving and trying to remember my points for the meeting.
So needless to say I was not too impressed with the backseat chatter and asked Lyam to just chill and went further to explain to him that Mommy has an important meeting today and I need to concentrate and prepare my mind. Can he please give me some quiet? His response was “Mommy don’t worry…. You Got This!” with a wink and a thumbs up.
SELF DOUBT BE GONE
Dear Self,
How many times have we doubted ourselves and our abilities and allowed negative thoughts to totally cloud our outlook of the situation before us. Even prevent us from truly experiencing and participating in our circumstance because we are so caught up on getting it right and proving our inner critic wrong. We worry so much about meeting (or rather exceeding) the expectations that we set for ourselves that we don’t acknowledge or even celebrate our strengths.
This is all to familiar to me, despite knowing that I am good (no..great) at what I do and that I have years of experience and qualifications to support that, I can’t help but put myself through the ordeal each time of doubting my abilities. Why isn’t it my default to see myself through the endearing eyes of my Lyam, owning and exuding the confidence that he so clearly sees.
We all are where we are at this moment as a culmination of our choices, experiences, talent and hard work. Whether we failed, succeeded or muddled through, we did it through our own efforts. Whatever we are facing today is OURS and we can handle it, because we are equipped with the wisdom of the sum of all our past experiences. Even when we are facing an unknown, or something out of our control, we have the skills to navigate through it. The innate expertise to make it through to the other side of our fears, OUR way, which despite the outcome, will always be the right way.
So today and hopefully everyday going forward, I will set aside my self doubt and know that I am the only person in this whole world with the expertise to live MY life. I Got This! no matter what.
XOXO
Elle
PS – The oh so important meeting got postponed; my drive to work could have been better spent enjoying quality time with my boys.
Providence 