Let’s just get this out of the way right off the bat: I am very particular and slightly obsessive. I like things my way and I get twitchy when I have to ask for help. I am also lazy as all hell and last time I checked, I have only two hands and extremely limited telekinesis.

So why is it that the power of Pinterest and Facebook compel me to escalate every mudane endeavor into the BEST THING EVER?! Why do I knock myself out almost every time making a glitter jar for my daughter (who could care less after two minutes) and collecting recipes I know I’ll never make? I can’t even keep up with Facebook and Twitter, let alone Instagram, or whatever the kids are into these days. I don’t tweet enough to appear in anyone’s feed and after I dig through all the memes and sad puppies/kittens/babies/unicorns, I can’t even tell you what my friends are up to unless I send them a message, (which is what we used to call email back in the day). I could send them an instant chat message, but we’re all set to stealth mode anyway so no one bothers us while we’re doing all the other things were trying to do at the same time. We screen our calls, too.

That’s right y’all, I said it. I. AM. SCREENING. YOUR. CALLS.

Wanna know why?!

I work full time, am happily married, have a small child, a not-so-small cat and a handful of family and friends I actually manage to see in person twice a year.

I also recently realized that I am knocking myself out trying to add things to the mix that, when you really get down to it, probably aren’t adding that much value to my life. Nor am I asking for help with any of these things. Asking for help is a sign of weakness in my family and something my husband struggles to change in me everyday.

So what’s the point, here?

That’s simple. Don’t knock yourself out. We spend so much time constantly fretting over things to get them exactly perfect, we miss the simple joy in things. Excuse yourself from the competition and take a moment to just enjoy whatever it is you’re doing. If you are talented and capable, have at it. Do your best at what you do and never be afraid to shine. If you’re not, that’s ok, too. You’re just as shiny. You just have a different shine.

Find your balance and stick with it. Only take on what you know you can handle and still be happy. I’m not saying you can never spend three days on your son’s DIY dinosaur piñata. If that’s what makes you happy, mix up that paper mache and rock that pinata. You know what you’re good at and what you’re really interested in spending your time on, so why shouldn’t you decide what to do and how far to take it. There are plenty of people waiting to pile something on you, so start getting picky about what you chose for yourself.

I choose to take a step back for a moment, take stock of what’s important to me and give those things my energy and attention.

Seriously, consider relieving some of the pressure you may be putting on yourself and Don’t Knock Yourself Out.

Featured Image : Lazy Cat Days by Michelle Friswell