Focus on What Matters.

“If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.” —Lee Iacocca

Good morning! While we would all love to be a superparent, the reality is that few of us will ever measure up—and nor should we, since superparent is as fictional as Superman. I see many parents who are stressed and overwhelmed with trying to “do it all” in work, family, and home life, yet they don’t take steps to reconcile this overzealous aim. 

Take a moment to admit to yourself that you will never be able to do it all. You won’t be able to raise a perfect child; you won’t have the energy to battle every battle; you won’t have the knowledge to make every right decision. That’s all right. If you try to win every battle with your child, you will only create a more stressed “you” who will not be able to meet the needs of your child as effectively. Instead of trying to “do it all,” choose what is important to you and let the rest go. 

My mother gave up the battle of trying to have me keep a clean room. I was always creative, messy, and disorganized as a child. (My husband might argue that I still possess these qualities.) At first she would ask me to clean my room, then she would tell me to, then finally I would do it. Within four hours, it would be back to its more normal, unruly state. Eventually, she decided there wasn’t much harm if my room was messy, as long as nothing was growing within the four walls— and I kept my door shut. I know another mother who lets her three-year-old draw on her windows with candles. Her child loves it and they’ve discovered that Windex is a quick artwork eraser. 

When Samantha was little, I let her color in her books. While these may not seem like “major” battles, the important thing is that we are admitting to ourselves we can’t do everything— and “everything” isn’t important. Instead of spreading our focus over many areas and giving them all cursory coverage, we can focus on what really matters and loosen up about everything else.

Your Turn:

What have you been holding on to tightly that doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things? Let go of the minor so you have more energy to focus on the major.

Today’s Affirmation:

I focus on what matters.

..............Brook Noel.