In previous blogs, I have focused mainly on the ‘taking action’ side of things when I get people talking about their GRIT. What to do, how to do it and outcomes that might be possible after tackling an action. A friend just sent me this quote and I think it’s an important reminder of the opposite perspective; we need to balance effort and ease when we’re showing up for ourselves! Even before knowing about this quote, I have tried to remind myself of these exact messages on a regular basis. The quote is:
You are resilient and need a break.
You gave your all and need to back out.
You are independent and still need others.
You were sure and things changed.
You are kind and have boundaries.
Others have it worse and your pain is valid.
You did your best and now you know more.
I have a lot of nicknames and I’ll share them on the Grow My GRIT podcast someday! However, one of my oldest and dearest nicknames is ‘Energizer’ which I earned as a counsellor at Camp Koinonia almost 25 years ago! It stuck because people who have known me for 30 years or 30 minutes often say that I keep going and going and going just like the Energizer bunny. In fact, my very first tattoo was a battery with Energizer written on it and the letter ‘i’ is a flower 🌼! Some people wonder if I even sleep so here’s a glimpse “behind-the-scenes” as evidence that I do have a slow gear! I do sleep, and sometimes I do not even make it to my bed before I crash and take a quick siesta!!!
Last October, I celebrated the first anniversary of Gritty Guru Company. Last month, I released my first GRIT book. Now I spend a lot of time talking with friends, clients and readers to get ideas on how I can expand my offerings to serve my fellow GRITizens. I dedicate a lot of time to writing so I can stay on top of things but there are instances when I’ve fallen asleep on my laptop. Other times, I find myself staring at the same three words on a page with nooooo idea what they mean because my brain is too tired to process them. When it gets to either of these points, I remind myself that I need to stop and take a break which may mean going to bed, changing my environment or maybe even expending energy to refuel after sitting for a long time. Yoga, spinning and walking are my top three choices!
I can also think of times that I put hours and hours into creating content that I thought would be relevant and timely only to discover that it’s not right for any of my clients. Ultimately, I know I need to back out and stop trying to make it work even though letting go of creative content feels awful. I also know there are many people whose circumstances and experiences with awful are much more difficult than mine. However, as the quote says, I need to remember that the difficulties I encounter are real and valid. When I am able to identify the difficulties in my life, I can find a path to learning from them and either accepting the situation or changing the situation if possible.
One of the most powerful lines in this quote is the last one: You did your best and now you know more. Mistakes are an opportunity to learn and I can tell you that I have learned a lot by embracing all of the mistakes I’ve made along my entrepreneurial journey. Every time we put our best foot forward, or really any foot forward, we are learning and making progress.
While you are knowing, growing and showing your GRIT, take time to find your balance. Take time to appreciate how far you have come and know that there are no steps backward. Ahead of you there are new paths, new opportunities to make new choices as well as options to stay the course with a new perspective when you’re ready.
Which line about balance in the quote do you need to internalize while you are busy racing through your days?
