Today’s Reminder
Remember to give yourself grace, because you don’t have to be perfect! Sometimes, we find it easy to speak words of encouragement to those around us, but we often set impossible expectations of perfection for ourselves. Once, I heard someone ask, “Would you allow someone to speak to your daughter the way you speak to yourself?” Ouch. As a woman, I often feel like I’m failing if I don’t live up to the expectations of perfection that society has set for me. This can make it easy to feel like a failure and to speak negative words about myself.
I have learned a few things over the years while parenting a special needs child and kids with food allergies. I know that I will make mistakes, miss things, and fail daily, but it’s okay. I have found comfort in the fact that the Bible says that God’s grace is sufficient for me, and that has helped me to keep going.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Here are few tips to help you become more comfortable with imperfection. practice being ok with imperfection.
Make an effort to include God’s word in your daily routine.
I don’t always have the luxury of having a lot of time in the morning to have an hour-long quiet time. But, I make sure to meditate on what God says about me, rather than what the enemy wants me to believe, Sometimes I listen to a podcast or sermon while I shower and get ready in the morning. I often play worship music throughout my day. And on some days, the only reading I have time for is a short devotion. However busy my day is, I try to incorporate at least one of these practices into my schedule
Have Fun
I am grateful that I married someone entirely different from me. My husband is incredibly energetic and cherishes creating memories more than being worried about what others think of him. It has taken me years, but I have learned from him to loosen up and prioritize making memories instead of stressing over perfection. After all, God wants us to live a happy and joyful life!
Do something every day that brings you joy
One thing that brings me a lot of joy i shaving my morning coffee. There’s something special about that first sip feeling! When my children were young, I realized that I needed to take some time for myself to recharge. It wasn’t selfish, it was a necessary practice so that I could be a better mom. During that season of my life, I made sure to establish a regular bedtime routine for my kids so that I could have some quiet time to myself, whether it was watching a show, taking a bath, or reading a book. I also set boundaries around my household chores to ensure that I had enough time for myself. Which leads me to my next tip…
It’s ok to leave dishes in the sink
Take a deep breath, I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but, I promise that you can survive without obsessing over a perfectly clean house, including dishes in the sink. As much as I prefer waking up to a clean kitchen some days, it’s just not possible to do all the housework and still find time to breathe. I had to work hard to accept that it’s okay to leave dishes in the sink sometimes and prioritize my mental well-being. Now that my kids are older, this isn’t as much of an issue, but I still occasionally put off doing the dishes so that we can spend time together. What I’ve learned is that while you won’t remember leaving dishes in the sink, you will remember the memories you make with your loved ones.
I hope this helps fight the battle for perfection. Remember, God adores you exactly how you are, imperfections and all!
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand” Psalm 139: 17-18
