Why isn't that good enough?

I think this is literally the first time I have sat down in the last 4 days. And the funny thing is, I can't even say what I've been doing. Really, just taking care of kiddos and being sick. I did go to a women's broadcast on Saturday night and was reminded of a few things. One that really stuck out to me though. Be patient with yourself.

I am really bad at that. I think that I am patient with my children, and try to be patient with others in their shortcomings and give them the benefit of the doubt. But when it comes to myself, I don't think that there is room for error. I understand that I am not perfect. Nowhere close. But I do try to do and be my very best. To live up to the potential in me. However, I can never forgive myself for not doing this or finishing that, or being everything that everyone wants me to be, or thinks that I am. {Was that the biggest run on sentence you've ever read?} I feel like there is always something more I could be doing, or that I should be doing. When in reality, I am doing my best, and doing a pretty good job. My kids are fed, played with, loved, disciplined, taught, and clean, with teeth and hair brushed and bows in.  My house is clean. {Laundry is almost always done... } I take care of myself, Physically and spiritually, and make time to do the things I enjoy. And let's not forget, I manage to find time to date prince charming, and watch football games while cuddling on the couch. Why isn't that good enough? Why are we so hard on ourselves? It reminds me of a story I've heard. There was a woman who was trying to figure out why she was depressed. She was beautiful. She was happily married to a fantastic guy, and had beautiful children, and ran on a track team. She had what most would see as a perfect life. But in speaking to her therapist, They got to the bottom of it. In college, She was so beautiful, that everyone said she would be Miss America, She was such a phenomenal runner, That everyone said she would win the Olympics one day. Everyone said that she would marry a movie star. As time passed on and she didn't do those things, She felt like a failure. You see, She had unrealistic expectations set. By herself, and by others. Most would look and see someone who had accomplished a great deal, But because of what she thought she would accomplish, She looked at it as failing to achieve those goals.

I think sometimes, We set ourselves up for failure by comparing our weaknesses to someone elses strengths. Nobody is good at everything, But everyone is good at something. We can't all be Miss America, Or win the Olympics. Why can't we focus on the things we have and are doing right?

Trust me, Those people you look at and think they have it all together...They don't.