Here we are . . . it’s the middle of the month. I’m not sure about you, but for me . . . things usually start feeling a little overwhelming at this point in December. Like it’s all too much and I’ll never catch up with myself and here comes the end of the year.
It’s the expectations.
Not just the expectations around creating a “perfect holiday” for your family (which are – sadly – very real for so many people),
but also expectations about . . .
How you wanted to feel by the end of the year.
Or what you had hoped to accomplish this year.
Or how you were planning to be so much more organized by now.
Or how you wanted to be “over” something by this point.
Or how you were going to do this . . . or do that . . . and go here and maybe there.
It can be a very fraught time.
Especially if we feel like we didn’t quite measure up to our own expectations.
I’m here to tell you to . . . let that crap go.
Really.
It’s time now.
We’re all fine, however we may be sliding into the end of December.
We really are fine.
Don’t just take it from me. Watch this (very brief; only a minute) message from Kate Bowler. She’ll tell you the same thing . . . in a much more charming way.
=
Forget your expectations.
You’re fine just as you are!
You already get the gold star.
Just you.
Check.
Check.
Check.
You.– Kate Bowler
Come.
Fill your cup.
Love it! I’m sitting here, thinking about gifts that still need buying, cookies not yet baked, a floor that needs mopping, etc, etc, all while I’m ever so slowly recovering from COVID (that seems to be wanting to settle into a sinus infection 🙁
Check, check, check…
Thank you!
This is just such a perfect little reminder to stop, slow down, and savor the season. Thank you! XO
Love your photos. They in themselves are a balm. This one is so clever. What I believe is 4 balls of yarn look like mittened hands cradling a warm cuppa:).
I love Kate Bowler — and Roslyn, I hope you’re really better soon. So you can enjoy the holidays, whether or not the cookies get done.
We’re traveling for Christmas this year, which is rare for us. Which may be why (it just occurred to me) I’m quite discombobulated while not feeling quite as manically busy as usual. Minimal baking, fewer decorations, but also everything is different.
The best advice ever. I have come to realize that the expectations are mine and mine alone – and that has helped me to let go of A LOT of stuff I used to feel obliged to do and I don’t any longer.
Yes to all of this — none of us is perfect and all of us will fail at some point, so let’s say good-bye to all that pressure! Growing up, I often felt like I was missing out on so much by not celebrating Christmas, but the bigger and more stressful this season gets in our society, the happier I am not to have to deal with it.
My grandmother used to say that the surest route to disappointment was the road of high expectations. I’m not sure I understood this as a child, but I get it as an adult. This year I’m letting go of Christmas dinner (Ryan is making it), gifts have all been simplified, and I’m trying to let go of any expectations and just enjoy our time together. May we all understand that we are enough just as we are.
For some reason, the month seems to be slowing down for us but I think that is because the time between Thanksgiving and the 15th were overloaded. Now I feel like we are just sliding into the Christmas. Helps that we are not traveling or hosting a big meal and we don’t have things to mail or lot of presents to buy. Always love what Kate Bowler has to share.
This is a perfect post for this time of year, Kym. I historically “check out” in December for a lot of reasons, and my life has been better since I have let go of all of our society’s pre-fab notions about what I should be doing. Thanks for spreading the message.
That’s great!! (I’ve never heard of Kate Bowler before.)
Now I know about Kate Bowler. Amen to the message that we are all enough just as we are. This is a very kind message.