Your Best is Enough

Hey folks, it's Karen here. Think of this week's blog post as a public service announcement reminding you that your best is enough. I often have to remind myself of this truth, especially because we live in a society where unrealistic standards can make us feel "less than." Years ago, I remember seeing something on Pinterest that went like this: "Hey moms! Make this sushi for your kid's lunchbox that look like little pandas!" What moms are you talking to Pinterest? Are there really moms out there who do this? If they can do it, I should be able to do it too. What's wrong with me that I don't make my kids' lunch that fun? You see how the whole "less than" thing works now, right?

I didn't think that example could be topped until I recently saw this headline "What Are Sprinkles Made Of? Nutrition & How to Make Your Own." Really? Most of us barely know what dinner we are going to get on the table tonight and we're supposed to be worried about sprinkles? How many sprinkles is the average person eating anyways? It must be a lot more than I thought if someone is writing entire online articles about it. Sounds like we'd be a lot healthier if we replaced the quart of commercial-grade sprinkles we eat each day with these homemade ones. Ugh.

Laughing at these examples helps to diffuse things, but we have to remember how insidious and dangerous these messages can be. Many of us already feel like we barely keep our heads above water, especially when it comes to eating well. We already feel extreme levels of self-doubt and anxiety about our food choices. Deep down, we know we are trying our best, but it is hard to feel like that is enough. And unrealistic societal expectations only compound the situation by making us feel like we are failing. All, The. Time. If you are trying, you are not failing. And if you are doing your best, it is enough, It has to be. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.