Much of our struggles come from black or white thinking. Either or. Yes or no. Good or bad. Right or wrong. Yet life happens in the gray, in the AND. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PERFECT. No perfect person. No perfect relationship. No perfect job. No perfect anything. Life is messy. People are flawed. The awareness of this truth takes the pressure off. It allows us to be human. Once we accept the power of AND we can truly and humbly accept ourselves and others. This acceptance becomes possible when we create space for the AND. We can feel insecure AND recognize and lead from our strengths. Productive self-talk is essential. I am flawed AND I am trying to do better and be better. I am scared AND I am capable, resilient, and resourceful. I feel stuck AND I am still trying. I am independent AND I can ask for and receive help from others. I am frustrated by my job AND I still find purpose and meaning in my work. I am overwhelmed by all that I have to do each day AND I feel grateful for my life. I am lonely AND I can recognize that my family and friends care. I am grieving AND I am living. It is possible to feel frustrated, depleted, even defeated AND not give up, to feel hopeful still. Possibility presents itself in the AND. The power of AND allows us to acknowledge the duality in our lives. To not be defined by, or give power to, any one emotion or experience. AND allows us to create space in our thinking for what challenges us AND what carries us. AND has the power to provide a sense of balance, the grace of acceptance, as well as the gratitude for what IS good even as we struggle. AND anchors us to our resilience.
