It’s Saturday morning. I set my alarm for a half hour later the night prior and gave myself a little gift- the gift of more sleep. As I wake, the world around me is silent. I inhale and exhale. I roll out my yoga mat and flow through my workout routine quietly and thoughtfully. From the outside I appear centered and still. Internally, it’s a different story.
Internally, I try to quiet the workweek adrenaline that still courses through my veins. The tasks I need to work through from the past week call to me, asking to be conquered. But I choose to pause the work. I choose to remove my focus from my “to-do” list and shift it to my wants. I remind myself that these thoughts, although important, can wait and that sometimes the best solutions come when we allow time and space to take center stage.
These “obligations” will not go away. They can remain on my internal shelf until Monday. Come Monday morning, I’ll pick them up again and work through them. Because here’s the truth: if you’re doing anything worth doing, the “work” is never done. There will never be a moment when all tasks are fully complete.
It’s hard for me to believe that it’s been six months since I started working again after being home as a full-time mom for five years. It’s hard to believe because A) it truly went by so quickly, and B) where I am now compared to where I was then is vastly different. My frame of mind has shifted- in how I view challenges, in how I approach personal development, and in how I see myself.
The knowledge I’ve gained thus far impresses me, both personally and professionally. I’m proud of the guts and grit it took to take this leap of faith. When I accepted my current role, I couldn’t have prepared myself for all the learning curves I would face. I had a solid foundation from past experience, but there were, and still are, areas where I needed to grow. In other words, I had room for improvement.
On my first day, I whispered words of encouragement to myself, my mantra. Today, I still repeat those same phrases. Why? Because they remind me of who I am.
“I am smart, brave, and beautiful. I can do this. I am not alone.”
As cliché or silly as these words may sound, they calm and ground me as I walk from the parking garage and step onto the elevator to the fifth floor. They remind me not to doubt my capabilities. Whatever I face, I’ll figure it out and I won’t face it alone.
There is a place at this table for me. Whether I’m invited to a seat or create my own, I choose to show up every day with a positive attitude and a can-do mindset. So what if I don’t have all the answers? Is it the end of the world? No. Not having all the answers is okay. Choosing to find them- that’s what matters. If you’re willing to do the work, you’ll achieve the outcome you desire.
Often, we are our own worst enemy. We stop ourselves before we even get started. We tell ourselves all the reasons why we aren’t equipped and in doing so, we miss out. We miss out on growth. We miss out on learning. Instead of seeing our shortcomings as opportunities, we deny ourselves the privilege of overcoming them.
Did you know choosing not to do something is still doing something? It’s an active choice. Are you choosing to hold yourself back? Hiding behind insecurity and worry?
I choose to put myself out there- laying everything I have on the table. I don’t know everything, and I never will. But if I take what I do know, apply it, and lean on the resources around me, I’ll come out stronger. I’ll find the answers. I’ll learn through experience. And the taste of victory will be that much sweeter.
I recently started reading Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday. In it, he writes:
“This moment we are experiencing right now is a gift (that’s why we call it the present). Even if it is stressful or trying- it could be our last. So let’s develop the ability to be in it, to appreciate the fullness of the now.
Don’t reject a difficult or boring moment because it isn’t exactly what you want. Don’t waste a beautiful moment because you are insecure or shy. Make what you can of what you have been given. Live what can be lived. That’s what excellence is. That’s what presence makes possible.
Another way of saying this: you have plenty on your plate right now. Focus on that. Do the very best you can. Don’t dwell or overcomplicate. Be here. Be all of you. Be present. And if you’ve struggled with it before- that’s okay. That’s the beauty of the present. It keeps showing up, offering a second chance.”
What a powerful reminder to simply accept and appreciate what is.
This past week, I had the privilege of having lunch with a fellow senior administrator. From the moment we hugged on our walk to a nearby restaurant to the moment we exchanged small goodies afterward, our conversation never stopped.
Her warmth and kindness drew me to her from the very beginning. Her knowledge came second. It was her openness that first showed me she was someone I could trust- a friend and a source of support.
As we sat across from each other, I shared some of my struggles: “Sometimes I feel like I make things harder than they need to be. I get in my own way.”
She reminded me that if something is truly a priority, it will get done—and that the journey along the way matters just as much. Trust yourself. Enjoy the process. It will all come together in the end. Your attitude, your mindset, is what makes the difference. Stay positive. Appreciate your team.
Because, as she said, “we are so blessed.”
“I always try to look at the bigger picture. When I do that, I can see more clearly what really matters.”
As I reflect, I want to leave you with the three key takeaways I shared in my six-month review:
- Progress over perfection
- Slow down to speed up
- Pause before asking a question
This life is a gift. When we choose to live in the present, we begin to see all the good around us. Show up authentically. Trust yourself. Lean on those around you. Build yourself up and build up your team.
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