Will You Bring Your "Best" Self?

Hi, Beautiful One,

I read a quote this week that said, "I am halfway between self-sabotage and self-improvement." It hit me like a ton of bricks. The habits and rituals I have built are always at risk of a bad day. One bad day can set me off when I allow it to. Notice the emphasis on the word there. We are always at risk of setting ourselves back, right?

Our lives are multifaceted. Each corner of our globe isn't going to be ideal all the time. Some things will need more work than others at some point in our stories. Certain chapters are just going to be those "chapters." Their purpose is to get us through this sequence of events we call time. It still requires us to bring our best selves to the table.

I get it, days kick my ass too. Days exist when I do throw in the towel and give up. Yet, when I do, I find a way to bring out that guy! You know who I'm talking about. There is a version of you with grit. There's a version of you that is relentless. You don't need much because you are the much. You are the weapon. You are the solution. You know it. For some reason, I believed this version of myself had to be me operating at 150%. I was wrong.

Here's what I mean by bringing your "best" selves to the table:

All You Need Is 1%

My cousin has this saying, "Just be 1% better each day." I used to think the kick-ass version of myself had to be this superhero. Real heroes don't wear capes. Your struggle to get up and work out starts with gym clothes. Your fight to eat right starts with removing harmful foods. 1% is better than zero.

You Already Have Everything You Need

Success in any area of life doesn't come from nothing. You create it. At every level of this journey, you are laying the foundation for your own greatness. Each step, misstep, mistake, and triumph, it's all made by you. The life you want will come from you.

It Has To Be Enough For You

My Grandma used to say, "If you lay your head down on your pillow at night and be proud of what you have accomplised, then that's enough." Look, you have to be enough for you. If you can't, then you'll never be enough for the life you want. This is as much about perspective as it is about the work.

Every obstacle you face is to show you where you are, not to destroy you. If you look at every problem as an "end" and not a "within" you will fail. Whether 1% percent or 150%, your best self in every situation is the one who fights. Just remember most wars are fought with a sword and a shield. You determine which one you use, because you are the best person to make the choice. Choose wisely.

I love you,

G.E.M. Stone