During a conversation with Lara Casey (soon-to-be-mama) about our work with Making Brands Happen – and balancing our love for our clients, our commitments to our families and our multiple “hats,” I said something that has resonated with me since that phone call.

“I will hold myself to a standard of GRACE not PERFECTION.”

Period. My roles as wife, mother, friend, designer, daughter, sister, business partner, entrepreneur, peek-a-boo master, party-thrower, stationery creator, dinner whipper-upper, encourager, teacher and most importantly, bedtime story teller are ENORMOUS. Trying to balance them all is IMPOSSIBLE. And so instead, I devote myself to each one. at. a. time. I am committing myself to taking off one hat before I put on another. And let me say these things:

• This is not easy.
• This is undoubtedly worth it.
• This is the God’s honest truth from the depths of my heart.
• My family is #1.
• My clients respect me for that.
• It is difficult to let anyone down when I am giving that person 100% during the time I am wearing “that” hat.
• I will make things happen and make decisions to support everything above.
• I do what I do because I love what I love.
• I am not so important that I have to answer emails while having tummy time.
• My little man will still know he is loved if he spends a few afternoons with a trusted “new friend” while Mommy works.
• My work flourishes because of this commitment not the opposite like I often expect.
• I am a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend when I act with grace NOT when I am perfect.

Even if it requires me physically throwing my iPhone across a nursery at bedtime, so that I am not tempted with distraction and spend my moments staring into the big blue eyes and chubby, toothless, sincerely amused smile of this little man, I will live up to that standard of grace. I wont ever be perfect and I will be okay with that.

Leave a comment here if you’re ready to do this. I want to know who is committing themselves TO THIS TODAY and dropping the idea that they need to fit a certain mold of perfection. Don’t feel pressured to write a novel. Just say I’m in. Let’s start something big.

xo

Emily

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Purchase the Grace Not Perfection print in white or turquoise with gorgeous gold foil HERE in our new shop!