Run Your Own Race: You're Doing More Than Enough
“Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.”
By: Jamila Gomez
The past year and some change has done quite the number on each and every one of us. The hits never seemed to stop. They kept coming, each one harder than the one before. We’ve experienced sickness and death, job and home loss, racism and bigotry, and chaos too immeasurable for words. We found ourselves in a constant state of helplessness and hopelessness with each passing day. We had no idea how we were doing to make it through. But we had to figure something out . . . or did we?
So many people had made the decision at the start of the pandemic that, that would be the perfect time to either begin a new hobby or rediscover old ones. Some of us got creative with our time by writing books, painting portraits, building and constructing things, and starting podcasts. Others spent their time catching up on their favorite shows and movies and venturing into new territory with new genre finds. Just on a personal note, I became quite obsessed quite quickly with HBO’s Lovecraft Country, and horror wasn’t something I was ever into. But I couldn’t get enough. But I digress. Back to the point.
Then there are those people who immersed themselves in new financial journeys, starting businesses and selling products. If you were blessed enough to have the money to start a business to begin with, congratulations to you on your accomplishment! It’s a huge step and you should be proud of yourself. Unfortunately, some of those business owners, movers and shakers, and go-getters made it a point to rub their accomplishments in the faces of those who were otherwise having a hard time. They’d say things like, “Why not now? You’re not doing anything else” or “While you’re sleeping, I’m grinding”. Here’s the thing: “grinding” isn’t everyone’s ministry.
It’s wonderful that you have the tools to get up and make things happen like that for yourself. Again, congratulations! But please be mindful that some people have lost quite a bit and don’t have it in them to do what you did. So many are living each day feeling like it’s too hard to try. I was in that spot myself. Emotionally, I travel there often. It’s not okay to make people feel like they aren’t doing enough. It’s not okay to measure other people’s productiveness by your own personal standards. If you’ve spent the last several months doing nothing but surviving, that is enough! Be proud of yourself for making the choice to pull through the best way you know how to.
At the end of the day, how you manage to make it one day at a time through these crazy days is your business and nobody needs to tell you anything about it. If you’re in a situation where you need help motivating yourself to make it through, research some ideas or find someone that you trust to talk to. But please know that you are enough. You’re doing enough. If all you can do is survive, that would be enough. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. You’re doing the best you can. That is enough.
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