Embrace the Mess

I am so so guilty of getting caught up in my expectations. I get an image in my mind of what my life "should" look like, of what I "should" be doing, what my bank account "should" have in it.

Then I get upset, disappointed, or frustrated when these expectations aren't met.

When I reflect back on moments and situations like this, it feels crazy. It makes no sense.

Why do I do this?

Why do I allow my mind to create these expectations rather than simply embracing the messy, embracing life as it is?

Why do I get upset, worked up, and overly emotional about small things?

Some days I get home and the house is messier than when I left, and I get upset rather than seeing my messy home as a loved home.  Rather than being happy that I have animals and people to share it with.

Or maybe I expect my work day to be crazy productive, to have clarity, creativity, and be on my game; and in fact the exact opposite happens. I have a creativity block. I feel low energy wise. I can't focus.

One thing I have realized through this is that it is NOT the end of the world.

I had a bad day? I can start again tomorrow.

I am tired and low energy? I can choose to listen to my body rather than push through.  I can choose to embrace where I am now.

I am always telling my students to embrace the messy, the unknown, the scary, to turn traffic into a dance party, to find good in each situation, and I tell them so often because I struggle so much myself.

I tell them, because I am also telling myself.

The messy creates room for growth. It creates room to learn more, to adapt, to explore new situations.

If life was always perfect, always our created images, our expectations, then where would we learn? Where would we grow? This is a constant area of growth for me. Some days are better, some days are harder.

I am constantly reminding myself to embrace situations as they unfold, to appreciate them for what they are, and to enjoy them or learn from them in whatever way I can.

So embrace your messy today. Embrace traffic, jam out to some tunes, call your mom, or just breathe.

Embrace the discomfort, the unknown, the scary. Find joy, learning, growth, and space within it.