I have a lot of days where I try to do WAY too much. I'm pretty sure everyone out there can relate to trying to take on more than we can handle. It is incredibly difficult to try to balance too many activities and obligations, but I think it's even more challenging to say no and turn things down and make time for yourself. We feel bad and like we aren't good enough or strong enough to get through each day. Here's my advice: Let's stop trying to do it all.
When we come home after work or classes, we are exhausted. The last thing we want to do is start hours of homework or run our kids to soccer practice or do the mountain of dishes sitting at the sink, but if we don't start our homework right away, we always tend to feel guilty. We must stop feeling this way. Guilt is a good thing to feel when we are lying or doing something wrong, but needing a break is the opposite of wrong. Often times we will be much more productive if we take that twenty minute nap instead of starting our work right away than we would falling asleep while doing it. Taking breaks is absolutely okay and much needed. Taking the time to do one thing you love during the day should not be something to feel ashamed of or put off. Do it for the sake of you sanity.
In this day and age, social media makes it incredibly easy for us to compare ourselves to others. We scroll through Instagram and see that mom who made a perfect dinner for her family before they head off to practices. We look at Facebook and see people getting perfect scores on tests and looking like they get a full eight hours of sleep each night. Here's the truth, no one posts on social media when they are feeling broken or not enough. Everyone feels this way and it is okay. You don't have to be able to look great everyday, get all of your work done, eat healthy, make a great living, and have time to relax at the end of the night. Cut yourself some slack and celebrate your little victories.
Most importantly, know that you are enough. Bad day are inevitable, but so is the love God has for you. There may be days where you feel like God has abandoned you or if He cared about you He wouldn't let these terrible things happen. I believe that this is His way of saying, "hey, slow down and rest in me!" We get so incredibly busy trying to do it all that we don't take time to be spiritually filled. We forget that God wants us to turn to Him with our problems and He wants to hold us when we are broken. Every single day is precious and every single day we get a brand new start. Please remember that you are enough in my eyes and most importantly in God's eyes. Encourage each other on the hard days because we have all been there. Remember that it is okay if you can't do it all. We are only human.
