If You Give a G a Cookie

“Thank you for my family. 

Thank you for my mom.

Thank you for my dad.

Thank you for my brother and sister.

Thank you for my Minnie blanket.

Thank you for my house.  

Thank you for my dinner.

Thank you for my “punch-juice.”

Thank you for waking me up. 

Thank you for taking me to school.

Thank you for keeping me safe.”

The other night I listened to my 4-year old as she said her prayers and was absolutely humbled. 

Here I was beating myself up almost daily about the goals I want to accomplish but haven’t yet, the life I want to give her, the legacy I want to leave—and she’s just thankful for me. And a blanket.

It made me think, how much do we not give ourselves credit for? 

We decide that our best isn’t good enough before we even truly get started, not recognizing the hustle it took just to get to where we are.

We compare our struggles with someone else’s IG story and, instantly, tell ourselves we’re not doing enough. 

Why aren’t we in Dubai? Why isn’t my kid’s passport book full? Why doesn’t my birthday party look like a wedding reception?

And then, we tell ourselves, well, their life isn’t really like that either. They’re just putting on for the ‘Gram.

Maybe they are. Maybe they aren’t. Truth is, it doesn’t really matter how they’re living.

How are you living? How do you measure success? What constitutes a job well done for you?

I’ve had to get very clear with myself about what my goals are, because, left to social media and the comparison of my peers, the goal post kept moving. So every time I thought I was scoring a touchdown, social media told me it was just a first and 10.

It’ll have you in a state of being endlessly insatiable.

And people start doing weird things when they’re trying to scratch an itch.

Everyday is about choices. And everyday you wake up and decide to do at least one thing to make tomorrow better, to achieve your goals, you’re winning. 

Yeah, we don’t expect to get brownie points for doing what we’re supposed to do, but you should give yourself credit for doing what you are. For making stuff happen. Even on the hard days. Especially on the hard days.

You’re exactly where you need to be at this moment in your life. And you’re not only qualified but called for such a time as this. 

Don’t fold. 

The old folks would say, ‘Just keep living.” I’ll say, “Just keep scrolling.”

And give yourself a cookie.