I feel kinda like the weather today. Gloomy, heavily overcast, almost bordering on a major thunderstorm ⛈️. For me, this is one of those sweater weather days, but mostly importantly, it’s more about being chill, relaxed and taking it easy.
But hey, I get that what the weather feels like for you may actually be very different for me too. And that’s okay too. I imagine that for some folks, this is one of those mornings when they didn’t feel like getting out of the bed, or maybe they feel like they have to drag their feet into the office.
It’s just one of those days, I get it. 😅
Show Up Daily
Honestly, for today, I can sense that I’m showing up with less than my 100% energy. I couldn’t quite put my finger on a rough estimate, but I decided to pick 85% because it feels close to reality. It’s at that nice, stable, steady level, but yet, it isn’t quite a full tank of gas ⛽. So to speak.
And then I was reminded of that image that I have shared numerous times before.
And it reminded me that true grit isn’t about showing up daily and pretending that we’re at 100% even when we’re not feeling that way on that day. True grit, as I have come to learned, is about showing up authenticity and acknowledging that we aren’t feeling 100% that day. Some days, it can be less, and other days, it can be more. But regardless, the most important thing about being gritty and resilient is that we never stop showing up.
Now, that doesn’t mean that if we’re feeling absolutely sick and need to go to the doctor, that we still show up to work. There are times when we need to prioritize the caring of our bodies and our health. So do it. It’s okay if you feel like you can’t show up on certain days. You’re not superman, and you were never meant to be one.
The only thing that really matters is that you don’t quit and stop showing up after you’ve felt better.
That the key difference between real life grit versus the YT montage videos about grit and perseverance. They like to present this “showing up everyday” video, but it can be very misleading. Nobody can show up every single day. It’s just not humanly possible (unless you never ever get sick).
So hey, learn to listen to your body today. If all you have today is 65%, then go with that. Respect it. Take things slow if you need to. Conserve your energy when you can. The biggest mistake we often make is trying to pretend like we’re at 100% on days when we only have 65%, or 75%.
For me, showing up with 85% energy level means…
- Slower context switching between certain tasks/activities.
- I might need to take more regular/frequent breaks to rest my eyes.
- I might not be up for highly intensive tasks today, but minor to moderate-level tasks may still be on the menu.
- Not the day to push myself.
So, what does your day look/feel like today? And how are you planning to manage your energy levels?
Danny's 
Leave a comment