4 words that made me exhale
Last night, as I sat at the dinner table with my head in my hands, my husband Dan said four very important words:
“Cut yourself some slack.”
I’m a very optimistic person. Being quick to smile, feeling hopeful, approaching challenges with resilience and patience – these are all qualities of mine that I am proud of.
But some days, I just don’t have it.
Last night, I’m not sure what was more upsetting: that I’d had a hard day? or that I couldn’t find any inner reserves to feel positive?
Either way, Dan’s words were like a cooling balm on a sunburn…my shoulders loosened, my breath slowed down.
So today I offer them to you: Cut yourself some slack.
Try This Out
Where are you gripping tightly, when you could be softening? Where are you forcing, grinding, controlling – when you could be allowing?
Or even resting?
Today I invite you to take stock of yourself: your body, your mind, your life. Then consider:
Where can you release?
Where can you let go?
Where can you give yourself permission to pause or to find ease?
Cut yourself some slack.
And if you’re like me, and you worry that cutting yourself some slack means you won’t ever be able to push again? Don’t.
You need rest. You need grace. We all do.
It’s actually through rest that you create more capacity to get going again – when the time is right.
Cut yourself some slack.
What To Do Next
Two quick reminders for the week ahead:
The Little Deck of Sweet Reflections is now available for pre-order! Use code FIRSTRUN for a nice subscriber discount (expires this Wednesday at 11:59pm ET)
This Thursday I’m hosting my next Innovative Leadership Salon: “What Risk is Asking of You” It’s free and open to everyone leading inside organizations – or in life. Come learn and share with your peers, and walk away with a new framework for discerning which risks are worth taking.
How will you cut yourself some slack today? I’d love to hear from you.
Onward,
