Head down. Push through. You can do it. Just focus on the next task. Don’t look left. Don’t look right. Just muscle through your next task. Then the next one. Then the next one.
Have you ever had days like this?
Days where you feel it’s all you can do to get one thing at a time done when there are a million things distracting you at every turn?
Days where you get bogged down in the daily grind of life that you forget what it’s all about?
Days where you can’t even see what you’re doing in ten minutes, let along see what it is you’re aiming for long-term?
You feel stuck in the weeds. Like you’re plodding along, putting one foot in front of the other, trusting that what you’re doing will matter…someday. But you can’t see where you’re going. It’s like you’re in a field of wheat that has grown two feet taller than you. You’re walking along, following the furrow, trusting that if you keep walking for long enough you’ll eventually get to the end of the field or at least a place where you can see where on earth you’re going.
Have you ever been there? I know I have.
It’s so easy to get stuck in the daily grind. It’s so easy to get stuck in that wheat field. It’s so easy to get consumed by the task at hand that we forget the reason behind what we’re doing.
It’s in moment like these that I am so thankful for good friends. I cannot begin to tell you how many times good friends have come alongside me.
Friends who have walked this road before…
Friends who are a little further along this journey we call life…
Friends who have perspective on what I’m walking through…
Friends who can see the edge of the field…
Friends who can see the path that you’re trying to find from a clearer perspective…
It’s in those moments, in those conversations that it feels like they scoop you up, bring you up above the weeds, the wheat, the limited perspective. They grab you by the hand, pull you up, help you lift your head when you don’t even have the strength to do that, and show you that the daily grind is not the end of the story. It is not all that there is forever and ever. There is a path. There is light ahead. Yes, you have to keep going to get there, but they help you see where “there” is! They give you a glimpse of where you’re going when you’re unable to see it for yourself.
Wonderful friends who give such amazing perspective on life are an absolute treasure. They share their experiences to show you that you’re not the only one who has been through this! They lend you their perspective when you are severely lacking in your own.
To those of you who have been such true friends of mine, sharing truth and perspective with me when I couldn’t see it for myself, thank you!
To those of you who need some perspective today, will you allow me to be that friend to you?
To the one who is wondering ‘Am I worth anything?’ Oh, darling, yes! Yes! Yes! You are worth so much! You matter. Don’t give up. Don’t give in to those negative thoughts. The longer that you dwell on the negative thoughts, the more you begin to believe them. Instead, begin to think on the positive things: You do matter! You are special! You have great worth simply because you are you!
To the momma of the tiny baby who just won’t calm down and sleep anywhere other than your arms, choose to rest with your little one. These moments are precious. You’ve heard it before that they go by fast. You might not want to hear it right now, but it’s true. Choose to treasure the snuggles instead of wishing them away.
To the one who is lonely and feeling like no one cares. You are not alone! There are friends who will listen and care and simply be there with you. Take a chance and reach out to someone. Just a simple text or call to connect with someone. Sometimes starting a conversation is the hardest step, yet, it is such an important one because it shows you that you are not completely alone. There are people who want to connect with you. Maybe they’re feeling lonely and are scared to reach out to you! Will you stand up to your fear and reach out to them? Honestly, you might have to do it scared, and that’s okay! The important thing is that you take that step to reach out.
To the momma of the toddler who is getting into everything. It seems that from the moment they wake up until the moment they fall asleep, there is nothing but mess after mess after mess that they create. You find one mess and barely have a chance to clean it up before the next mess happens! Instead of screaming or pulling your hair out or choosing frustration (because, let’s face it, those are the normal choices, right?), start to smile. Look for some way to find humor and a silly memory in the mess. And have your child help you clean up the mess that they made! It turns into a triple win: you get help cleaning up the mess, if your child is working with you chances are they can’t make another mess while you’re not looking, and when they realize they have to clean up the messes it might slow them down a bit on the number of messes they create!
To the one who is grieving the loss of a friend or loved one. The pain is real. The pain is deep. There is no timeline of when it feels better or when things are “supposed” to happen. Your grieving process is not going to be exactly like anyone else’s. But don’t do it in isolation! Yes, pain and grieving can be an intensely personal process, but don’t isolate yourself and keep everyone else out. Reach out to those who know and love you best. Allow other people to support you, encourage you, and just be a shoulder to cry on as you walk through this valley.
To the one who is struggling to get everything on your to-do list done and done well and getting so discouraged in the process. You feel like you’re failing everyone and everything around you. Sometimes it gets so bad you just want to walk away from it all. My Friend, don’t give in to the emotions! Acknowledge them, they are real feelings, but make the choice not to give in to them. There’s a big difference. Emotions are so helpful because they can clue you in to what’s going on inside, but you always have to remember that you choose your actions. You choose the things that you say over and over to ourselves. Make the choice to focus on the positive (and maybe let go of a little bit of perfectionism in the process).
You don’t have to stay stuck in the wheat field forever, my Friend. You know, the quickest way to get stuck is to stop moving forward and simply give up.
Don’t give up!
Take a deep breath, borrow some perspective if you have none of your own, and keep moving forward.
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Additional Resources:
- Improve Your Focus with Purpose: Lessons from Sunflowers
- Expect the Unexpected
- What To Do When You Crave Balance As You Homeschool
- The Powerful Integration of Life and Music
- 7 Ways to Pause and Gain Space in Our World of Chaos
Elizabeth Tatham, founder of Inspiration in the Everyday, is a homeschooling momma of 5 who loves helping other homeschooling mommas create a unique homeschooling adventure your kids will love…without the overwhelm! Join in on the journey with 7 simple steps to make your homeschooling day go faster, easier, and with less tears here.