Remember October Daily? Remember how I had grand plans to document my little moments in my life that matter most? Remember how that lasted just a few days?
I'm guilty of setting far too many goals, planning far too many projects, and taking on far too many tasks. And of course when I fall short of meeting these standards I set for myself, I get angry at myself. I frequently accuse myself of not being able to finish anything I start, or letting things fall by the wayside too easily. It's taken a lot of self-abuse and self-exploration to come to this conclusion: it's OK not to finish some things.You know why? Because life gets in the way.
It's great to have goals; we all have them. But do you know what else we all have? Responsibilities. Priorities. Lives.
October quickly became a month that tested me and all that I am. It was a month where I literally had to drop everything in my life to concentrate on the task at hand. There was work that had to be done, and it had to be done right then and there. There was no other option, and no other time to do it. There I was, stressed out more than ever before, and in the back of my mind I was upset with myself for not completing my October daily. I asked myself what people would think when they saw I wasn't following through on it. I was worried that I'd be judged. It was silly.
Who knew my compassion for myself would appear in a traffic jam? Who knew that in the midst of angry drivers honking at one another, that I would forgive myself for all that I've never finished. I am a strong believer in keeping your word and following through on promises made to others. But I think at times we need to learn to cut ourselves some slack, and realize it's OK to leave some things unfinished.
