My Best Is Always Good Enough

I did a race this past Saturday, an Olympic distance triathlon in Burley, Idaho. It's called “The Spudman.” It's a pretty famous race because it's a fast, flat course. You swim 1500 meters with the current down the Snake River, then bike 40 kilometers (25 miles) around the town of Burley, and finish with a 10 kilometer (6.1 mile) run.

A few months ago, I was pretty severely injured. I couldn't even walk without pain, let alone swim, bike, or run. I modified my training and spent a lot of time on the elliptical (which also hurt, but less so). At the end of June, my physical therapist gave me a few pointers and helped me fix my running form. Miraculously, I've been able to train the past 4 weeks.

Needless to say, I was grateful that I could race, but was nervous that I wasn't prepared. I knew it would hurt a lot, especially if I was going to try to finish anywhere close my time from 3 years ago, when I was in very good shape.

I did everything I could think of to prepare. I even cut out sweets for the past month because I knew it would decrease inflammation in my body. (Those that know me well know this was a HUGE sacrifice.)

Race day came and I got my usual pre-race jitters. My husband and I were running late, and I barely got in the river before the race started. The swim was rough; it always is. The choking wetsuit, the cold dark water, getting kicked by other swimmers. But I got through it. Then I pushed it HARD on the bike, so much so that once I got to the run my muscles were SPENT.

While my legs screamed at me to slow down, my mind screamed at me to speed up. I was hurting, but I wanted to give it all I had. Then a cute phrase my mom always says popped into my head: “All you can do is the best you can do.” That kind of put a stop to the battle between my body and mind, and I just relaxed into a medium pace.

Over the six miles, I modified the phrase to be, “My best is always good enough.”

I said it to myself over and over as my hamstrings screamed at me to back off. I knew I was still running slower than I wanted to, but I just kept saying, “My best is always good enough” while putting one foot in front of the other.

I finished the race. And somehow it was only one minute slower than my time from three years ago! I was VERY happy.

Since then, I've been reflecting on this idea: my best is ALWAYS good enough. It's so true! In every single part of my life. And it's certainly true in parenting.

As a mom, I'd say my best is decent most of the time. But I've got to admit, sometimes my best is TERRIBLE. I get tired and grumpy and frustrated. I occasionally lose my temper with my teens. I say things in the heat of emotion sometimes.

But even THAT is my best on those days.

So I forgive myself, I apologize, and I allow myself a fresh start the next day.

Guess what's also true? My teens, my husband, my neighbor, the cashier at the store: they're all doing their best too.

And sometimes their best is pretty terrible.

But I can forgive, accept their apologies, and allow them a fresh start the next day.

And I've noticed that the better I get at offering myself grace, the better I am at offering it to others.

So when you're having one of those days, when everything is heavy and you're struggling to put one foot in front of the other, just tell yourself, “My best is always good enough.” And mean it.