You.
Yes, you.
Will you sit down and listen to me for a while. Just a short while. It won’t take long. I promise.
How have you been?
These past few months have been life changing for you. Haven’t they? Kind of challenging and overwhelming too?
Of course, you knew this was on the cards. But being ready or prepared for something is not the same as living it. Ain’t that, right?
I know you have been doing the best you can. Surprising your own self at times, stretching your physical limits. Feeling a bit frustrated on occasions and then being full of guilt for actually letting yourself be so.
Well, here’s what I wish to tell you. Just a few words you need to hear.
It’s okay to be overwhelmed at times. You are tired, exhausted beyond the point you ever were before. So, you are allowed to be angry. Frustrated too. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Let things be. The release could actually benefit you.
You have also been thinking about the opportunities you missed out on in the last year or so. You don’t want to but it’s natural to feel that way. Again, don’t beat yourself about it. You are human. It’s only natural to feel bad when you miss out on something. But keep looking at the bigger picture. You know nothing really compares to it. No opportunity that has come so far even measures up to what you hold in your hands. That smile as you read this, says it all. Doesn’t it?
What you should know and remember as well is that you don’t have to be perfect every waking moment of every day. You just need to be you. Just breathe and give yourself a break.
Cut yourself some slack. You can’t do everything at the same time. If the house is in a mess, let it be so for a while. Dusting one day a week won’t kill you. Nor will letting the clothes hang on the clothesline a little while longer. The kitchen doesn’t need to be spotless all the time too. And please, you have a wonderful family ready to step in whenever you let them. So let them. Please.
Maybe it’s time to see the beauty in the chaos.
Be happy. Be you.
Yours sincerely,
You.
Linking this to #FridayReflections hosted by Writetribe and Sanch of Living My Imperfect Life.
Of the prompts available, I chose to write a few words that I needed to hear.
Prompts for this week – 22 April :
1. If you could do something that you have never done before, what would it be? Why do you want to do it?
2. Write the words you need to hear.
3. Write a list of your top 11 travel tips.
4. Try your hand at writing a piece of fiction.
5. What do you love about life right now?
Good advice we could all use. Asking for help is not a bad thing.
Perfect.. Relax.
Oh God, I've been cutting myself a slack for so long that my wardrobe has converted into a black hole, where clothes go to die a slow death 😉 But, your letter assured me that it's fine. Thanks, Naba!
It was really nice reading this piece. I much needed this letter.
Thanks 🙂
Maybe this is all that I need today to feel a little better! Nice post, Nabanita!
I can clearly identify with you on lost opportunities. We are positive people who focus on what we have rather than what we lost but some day that thing, that thought peeps outside from the ghettos of our mind to consider the what ifs. Yesterday when I set my mind loose to write for friday reflections my mind wandered in this same direction. Juggling parenthood/motherhood with a profession and/or a well-kept house is not easy. It is ok to let go of certain things accepting we can't do it all and this gives peace. I like to read and write and I do it well with the house being in complete mess, chores come later in my priority list. I am fully with you on clothes hanging on the drying line for too long and dusting only once in a while. I am neither fond of cooking and look for shortcuts and quick fixes more than often.
It was just Perfect .. and soothing and fun to read.
Loved reading it.
Yes, we all need to do such self-talking, or such letter-writing at times 🙂 Beauty in the chaos – I like that very much. If only it were as easy to actually feel inside as it is to imagine. Maybe the latter will lead to the former.
"Its time to see beauty in chaos" – these words- will be my skype status for in the coming days.
It looks like you have written everything for me… Thanks for sharing your thoughts so beautifully…
Beauty in chaos is what we all need to see. Thank you for saying that. It's going crazy for me too but it's fun 🙂
Thank you. It's a message I needed to hear too. Who ever said that we needed to get everything right and be perfect, I wonder?
This is so important and yet so easy to forget. Looking back, I remember so many moments of spontaneous fun with my daughter as she was growing up; what I don't remember are the dishes that had to stay in the sink or the dust bunnies that floated in the corners while we took off on a quick adventure (you know, like to a coffee shop, haha, really adventurous!).
yes, sometimes we all need this check… to take a break and calm ourselves down. Nothings's perfect… so why should we be.