“Don’t fall for the spell. You are free.”
I borrowed that from a wise woman I’ve lost track of over the years. I tacked her words on my bulletin board for a long while and appreciate them deeply.
They came to mind again this week as I watched news coverage of recent events. The tragedies with which we’re faced seem relentless and incomprehensible. I noticed a definite ratcheting up of the fear factor. That’s the spell, you know. Fear. It’s a trap. Don’t go there.
If you notice it luring you in, or if you find yourself up to your knees in it all of a sudden, I heard a great way to set yourself free of it so you can function sanely. These days, knowing how to avoid or escape from the clutches of fear is a handy skill to have.
So the only way this guy said that he could come up with for dealing with the cascade of unsettling events is to be the best possible you.
Think about that for a minute. “Be the best possible you.”
If you hold your focus on that, you automatically take control of your fear; you overpower it. What’s the very best way I can be, right here, right now. You ask yourself that, sincerely wanting an honest answer.
Your best you doesn’t necessarily mean your ideal you, the strong, composed and centered one. It means the very best you can manage in this moment that you’re standing in. It means just be as top notch as you can.
The New Gold Standard? Really?
A while back I heard somebody say “Good enough is the new gold standard.” I revolted at that, to tell you the truth. I want to aim higher than that.
Sure, often it’s the case that good enough is good enough, and you can walk away satisfied. Maybe it wasn’t the best that could be done, but considering all the factors, it was good enough. It would do its intended job. You got ‘er done.
But to say good enough should be the highest you aim for isn’t good enough for me. Always settling for good enough is paving the way to mediocrity.
It makes you stand straighter when you know you reached a bit higher than good enough, that you gave it one more twist toward better, just because you could. It’s satisfying to know you put a little extra spit and polish on something, left it shining a little more brightly.
I think the world smiles more when we take those extra little steps, when we go beyond what’s required and leave things improved somehow in our wake. What’s the old vaudeville saying? “Leave ‘em laughing, kid.” Good enough doesn’t pack much joy. Spice it up a bit. Give it a jolt of the best you can muster.
See, if you’re thinking about that, about how you be your best possible you as you do whatever you’re doing, you don’t have a any space for fear of the what-if’s to wrap you up in their stories.
If it’s not happening within shouting distance, it’s likely not something that requires your response beyond, perhaps, a few prayers.
Instead, you focus on being the best possible you right now. Because it feels good. Empowering somehow. And in however small a way, it makes the world a nicer place. All because you got such a kick out of reaching past mere good enough.
Now, imagine what would happen if you went for spectacular! Just kidding. Reaching for your best is spectacular. Comes with built in rewards. Go for it.
Warmly,
Susan