Making plans.

Living in the moment.

Strategizing.

Figuring it out as you go along.

Perseverance.

Letting go.

A full life, a good life, encompasses it all. Where you probably get stuck is knowing when to do what.

• Should I hang onto this relationship, or should I say goodbye?
• Should I go to the mat over this issue, or should I cut my losses and stop fighting?
• Should I have a strategy for this, or should I wait and see what the universe provides?

Life demands both grit and grace. Grit is for the times that you need to gut it out, suck it up, stick around, and persevere. Grace is for the times you need to be patient, go with the flow, wait and see, and trust. Not enough grit, and you lose your momentum and sense of purpose. Not enough grace, and you lose your patience and your joy.

When you’re not sure what the situation demands, there are three principles to live by.

• Know yourself. You know what your knee-jerk instinct is, and you know very well what your habits are. If you are too heavy on grit, you will want to think, plan, and talk it to death. If you are too heavy on grace, you will want to avoid thinking about it or taking action. When you know yourself intimately, you can see past old habits and make better decisions.
• Go with your gut. If you can get past “the way I usually do things,” you will find a place inside that holds the answer. It may take quiet and contemplation to hear that soft voice, so position yourself well to listen.
• Make peace with being wrong. If you demand that you always make the right decision, you will paralyze yourself. In a lot of life situations, you can’t know until afterwards if you handled it right. Make a decision, and take copious notes! What you learn today will serve you well in the future.

Everything on earth has its own time

 and its own season.

There is a time for birth and death,

Planting and reaping,

For killing and healing,

Destroying and building,

For crying and laughing,

Weeping and dancing,

For throwing stones

and gathering stones,

Embracing and parting.

There is a time for finding and losing,

Keeping and giving,

For tearing and sewing,

Listening and speaking.

There is also a time for love and hate,

for war and peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

ABOUT ME

I am Dr. Kimberly Thompson, a clinical psychologist in private practice. I work exclusively with mothers and their children so that they can live their most vibrant lives. My particular expertise is with pregnant and postpartum women, and mothers of “littles.” Find my book, Perfect Mothers Get Depressed on the Praeclarus Press website or on Amazon. If you live within driving distance of Lubbock, TX you can work with me in person. If you live elsewhere in Texas you can work with me online.