Yesterday, I Was Just an 'Okay' Mom

Mondays have a bad reputation and yesterday was no exception. It was a blah day, the weather was blah, my lack of coffee caused me to feel blah, and the traffic during my to and from commute served up more blah.

When I got home from work, I wanted nothing more than to be lazy and not have to do anything else. I did muster up the strength to cook my family dinner and pack my daughter’s lunch for the next day, but after that I lounged. Yes, friends, I put on my running shorts and I had absolutely no intentions of running—and you know what, it’s exactly what I needed.

No, I didn’t read with my kids before bed time. I opted to do homework later during this week. I didn’t do dishes. I didn’t fold laundry. I didn’t finish up on a work project. I didn’t do anything productive. I even cheated on my diet and ate chips and salsa. Instead of racing to complete my check-list, I decided to put it off and just be an ‘okay’ mom. I watched Bachelor in Paradise and judged Jasmine’s jealous tantrum and laughed at the meme asking Amanda where her children were. I went to bed incredibly early and it felt great.

I woke up this morning and I thought to myself, “It’s okay to just be okay.” The world did not end because I decided to not read, complete homework, clean or work. Instead, I felt rested and had an opportunity to reset. When I dropped my daughter off, this morning, she said, “You’re the best mom.” Her words warmed my heart.

Ladies, it’s okay to just be okay. We don’t have to rock it out every day. The constant pressure that we place on ourselves to go above and beyond is complicated and dramatic. While it’s important to take care of our families, it’s also important to take care of yourself—which sometimes means taking the night off and just being present. No one is perfect. No matter how many dishes you wash, T-shirts you fold, or toys you pick-up, there will always be more to do tomorrow. Relish in being just okay. Find happiness in the state of okay. Moreover, learn that okay can be enough.