I spent the past week getting over a summer cold. From low energy to chills, to no voice to a raspy voice, I am extra grateful for my health today. Getting the common cold meant that against all hopeful intentions for productivity and fun plans I had to adapt and reschedule. So much of life is about how we have to deal with the unexpected.
With work commitments my personal standard is to show up on time. So when my client messaged me yesterday saying, “I’m on our meeting…” and at that moment I realized I was already ten minutes late, my heart skipped a few beats. I mixed up the session start time in my head and while I was able to get online two minutes later, it did not stop me from feeling horrible for making my client wait.
The negative self talk quickly overtook my brain: “Does she think I am rude or disorganized? Am I a bad therapist?” Luckily I only had two minutes to catastrophize. I took a deep breath before getting on the session, I apologized, and I was quickly reminded by my understanding client that it was okay.
When our values are impacted we “feel it” the most. If being timely was not important to me, I would not have cared that I was late. I would have immediately laughed it off and it also would have been a pattern that my client was probably used to.
I share this story in case you have been hard on yourself lately. Or if you need the reminder that we all make mistakes. Give yourself some grace. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you possibly can in this exact moment and that is 100% more than okay.
WE ALL FEEL SUPPORT GROUPS ARE FORMING:
Even when your life is busy (or you get sick or run down) Virtual We All Feel Groups provide you with a consistent space to come as you are. The same people show up week after week. Individuals who come together to create a community that listens and that cares. Groups offer space for you to nourish yourself and for you to process what is going on in your life. Or space for you to listen and write and observe and be. You take from each group what is relevant and supportive for you, in your moment in time.
xoxo,
Amanda
PS In case no one told you today, I love you