The other day, I was making my bed and the words, “Just do your best”, came to me.  I had been feeling overwhelmed by the roller coaster of emotions that this whole experience with Covid19 has created.  Like many of you, I have had moments of grief, of anger, of fear, of doubt.  There have also been moments of hope, anticipation and curiosity about how this change is healing us and moving us toward a better tomorrow.  Some days I have lots of energy and other days I have none.  The changes we have experienced have happened so quickly, it can be too much to integrate all at once.

That morning, while making my bed, the invitation to just do my best felt like an offering to be gentle and kind with where I am at in each moment.  This was a reminder that on the days that I feel grief, or fear, I may not get as much done as on the days that I feel optimistic and full of energy, but each day, I can show up with the commitment to do the best with what I DO have.

Once I allowed myself to fully receive this message, I remembered where I had heard it before.  In the book, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (affiliate link), the fourth agreement is:  Always do your best.  If you have a copy of this book, I would invite you to go and read this chapter.  It is a helpful reminder as we go through this roller coaster of change and transformation that every day is different and the inner resources that we have will vary from day-to-day.  But if you make the commitment to simply do your best, then your best will be good enough.

So, for any of you, who like me, may find that your energy levels and your emotions have been inconsistent as we navigate our way through this transformative period, please be gentle with yourself.  Somedays you may be energized and able to go for long walks and get things done around the house and that is great.  Other days, you may need to tend to your heart and the grief that you are holding.  Other days, you may feel you are eating for comfort.  Some days, you may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and need to let some tears flow.  (For me, those days often are associated with when I have to go grocery shopping.)  And some days, you may just need to curl up and take a long nap.  This is all part of the journey.

Each day, and perhaps each moment of the day, our best is going to look different given the energy we have and the circumstances we are in.  May we learn to honour our own rhythms and try not to push ourselves beyond what we are capable of in each moment.  May we trust that doing our best is always good enough.

With gentle blessings,
Kathy

“Under any circumstances, always do your best, no more and no less.  Just keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next.” 
– Don Miguel Ruiz