Progress, Not Perfection

This pandemic has thrust us into new roles. We are trying to teach our kids, work from home, troubleshoot technology, and carefully plot our exposure away from the safety of our nests, whether it’s getting groceries or walking the dog. Some of us have seen our jobs go away. We are anxious, overwhelmed and just plain sad.

If your kids are learning from home, you've noticed that nothing replaces the expertise and wisdom of a teacher. Kids are stressed, too, and may not be fully focusing on work packets or online instruction. Be gentle and kind to yourself and your kids. Help them at times that work for them, and ask the teacher for help. Remember that kids are always learning, whether it’s lessons from school, reading books, doing chores or using their imaginations. We can’t and shouldn’t expect perfection from our kids…or ourselves.

Progress is creating a new routine, finding new ways to safely connect with friends and colleagues and asking for help when you need it. Progress is focusing your attention on what you want, rather than what you don't. Progress is consuming less news and figuring out safe ways to connect with nature and appreciating the beauty of spring. Progress is finding a way, every day, to be still, to be calm, and to send loving thoughts and prayers to those who need them.

My friend Sophia Joan gave me a sticker that reads, "Things you take for granted, someone else is praying for." (credit to Marlan Rico Lee). Now is an ideal time to abandon our perfection quest. We are all grieving - for canceled activities and special events, for the company of friends and family, for outings and adventures and so much more.

Ask for help when you need it - don't wait. We all want to be helpful, especially in situations where we may feel helpless. Don't worry about cracking the image of perfection we've curated online and elsewhere. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that this is a shared experience on the planet and we will get through it. Our lives may not look exactly the same, but one thing is for sure - we all can make our own kind of progress.