Better Than You Think

I leaned out the Starbucks drive-thru window to hand a drink to the customer in her car, and that’s when I heard her say, “Oh, my gosh! It’s you!” It’s always fun when the virtual world meets the real and tangible world right in front of me, and here I had a collision of two spheres: a blog reader holding a chai latte in her hand.

We talked as fast as we could and packed in as many interactions as we could during this 30-second customer connection.  She said, “Tricia, how are you managing all of this? Writing all the books and raising all the boys and making all the lattes and the frappuccinos?”

I laughed, “Not very well."

I chatted about this later with a friend and mentor of mine, a successful leader who has managed the blend of executive and homemaker, of author and leader and wife and mom. Sherry laughed with me, but then she said, “Tricia, you’re doing better than you think.”

She said, “Here’s what I know about women, young moms especially: they never think they’re doing enough, and they never believe they’re doing it well. But look at what you’re doing. You’re writing your third book, you’re managing your home and your career, and you’re working part time at Starbucks. Your boys are healthy and thriving young men who can have conversations with adults and other children, and you’re in a relationship with a man you deeply enjoy.”

She said, “Someday you’re going to look back on this season and see that you were killin’ it. Instead of realizing that later, what would it be like if you could live today knowing that you’re killin’ it right now?”

* * *

Make a list of what you’re doing right.

Tell yourself: You’re doing better than you think.