Moms: Stop telling yourself you can’t when you can

Where are my hot mess mama’s? The REAL deal. Legit. Take it or leave it, sisters because let me tell you something.

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The world doesn’t need more Karen’s or Susan’s or whatever we are calling the “perfect persona moms” these days. The world needs YOU.

So, what are you doing sis? What are you chasing?

Perfection? That’s a dead end. A ticket to nowhere. It doesn’t exist girlfriend. Trust me.

I know we all wish there were more hours in the day. I know you feel stretched and pulled in 500 different directions. I know you feel defeated and tired. Stressed and anxious.

I’m with you; really, I am.

But sis we’re never going to break the cycle if we can’t get past the guilt of yesterday. Think about it. How many times have you used the words, “I can’t” today. Be honest. 20? maybe 50?

Sister this amazing thing happens when we flip our own narrative. Just the other day I was teaching my little man to ride his tricycle. After a moment or two of struggling he looked up, “Mommy I can’t do it.”

“No baby. Listen to me. We don’t say we can’t in this house. You say I CAN.” He mumbled the words I CAN to himself as he peddled. With every few inches gained his voice became louder and louder. He peddled that entire driveway HIMSELF.

My point? Our minds have this uncanny ability to produce what we feed it. You want to tell yourself you can’t? Well then, quite frankly – you won’t. But when you flip the script, when you tell yourself I CAN.

Something magical happens …
YOU WILL.

Sure, sometimes it’s not instantaneous. Sometimes it takes time and dedication. But if you envision it – it will happen.

As women we feel this innate responsibility to please everyone. Like something hard coded into our DNA. But pleasing everyone is an impossible path; a never-ending circle that leaves us feeling gutted. Empty. Exhausted.

The word failure rings in our head over and over. Day in and day out. But sis it’s time to put it down. Stop measuring. Stop looking over at her paper and keep your eyes on your own.

So, you didn’t get it all done today. So, you burnt the casserole that no one was going to eat anyway and cried in the bathroom. WHO CARES. I know … gasp! What will people think?

Come on sis. What will people think? They’ll think you’re normal. They’ll look at you and say thank you sweet lord, I am not the only one.

We’ve got to stop hiding. We’ve got to stop faking it and telling ourselves we can’t.

Do you know what I want? I want the moms with laundry piles and toys all over the floor. The moms with day old sippy’s rolling around in the car. Moms who just peeled a soggy Cheerio from this mornings breakfast out of their hair and crushed that meeting like a boss. Moms with spit up on their clothes and day three dry shampoo.

I want YOU sis. You’re my people. In all of your real and messy.

I don’t care if you are a size 2 or size 22. If you are CEO of a company or a stay at home mom raising five awesome kiddos. You’re perfect as you are. Stop saying you can’t. Stop glancing over at someone else’s paper and start looking at your own; and while you’re at it – write these words down.

I CAN.

Jennifer Thompson

This story originally appeared on They Whine, So I Wine