Doing Your Best

We get told often and from a very early to "always do your best". But what does that really mean? Are we supposed to strive for perfection? Do we pressure ourselves to perform with an "all or nothing" mindset? Is it ever ok to "let good enough be good enough", or is that a cop out?

Let's talk about capability first - we know what things we're capable of. We've demonstrated to others or to ourselves that we can do hard things, we can perform that task, we can navigate this situation, and we can score 100% when we're feeling like we're bringing our "A game".

What happens when something happens that affects our mindset? Did you oversleep and rush through our morning routine and feel a little off-balance? Did someone ahead of you pay for your coffee in the drive-thru? Did the grocery run not happen when it should have and we ended up skipping breakfast, so an empty belly is a big distraction? Are news headlines causing you anxiety? Are you looking forward to meeting up with a friend you haven't seen for a while and thinking about all the things you want to tell them? Did you have an encounter with another driver (whether they realize it or not) that left you shaken up during your commute? Are you grieving a loss? Good or bad, these sorts of things don't affect our capability, but they occupy space and energy, so they affect our capacity. When our capacity is reduced, "doing our best" will look different - and that is OK!

Take a look at the graphic below - it's not one I created, and if I knew who made it, I would absolutely give credit to them, as I've used it many times when people were being too hard on themselves, and I try to keep it in mind whenever I have expectations that others are doing their best at something I'm helping them with or teaching them. There are days when your capacity will limit "your best" to just showing up and going through the motions. There are days when your capacity will feel endless and you're feeling like you're on top of the world. There are days when you'll start off feeling great, and by the end of the day, it's all you can do to kick off your shoes at the door, change into your PJ's, toss your work clothes in the general direction of the hamper, and open a bottle of your favorite adult beverage. If you, in your heart, know that this is "your best" in that moment, then extend yourself the compassion and grace for those moments. Don't beat yourself up for them - these are not moments of laziness or inadequate willpower - you're still working at maximum capacity, even if it might not look like the best you're capable of.

In the context of nutrition, I'd suggest setting yourself up for success when you know your capacity is low by having a game plan that you can put into play when these times happen. Know what local places have takeout options that work with your nutrition plan, have a couple of meal kits in your freezer that require minimal energy (whether you prep and freeze them yourself or buy them from the frozen food aisle). Same for exercise, if you don't have the capacity for your normal workout but you can just show up and do something, do that. If not, rest/recovery days are an important part of a workout regimen too, so be intentional in telling yourself "today I will rest", without guilt or shame.