Ladies, here are ten things you should stop caring about immediately:
1. What the heck anyone thinks of you.
I mean anyone — except for yourself and maybe your children, because in your household all that should matter to you is that you can look in the mirror each day and without a doubt find something to be proud of with regard to the woman staring back at you. It’s also a bonus if your children are benefiting from the example you are setting.
2. What you put in your mouth.
Like, seriously, YOLO. YOLO. YOLO. Eat the damn cake.
3. What your kids are wearing.
Ask yourself — are they wearing pants? — and if the answer is yes, you have success.
4. What you are wearing.
Seriously, don’t wear a bra one day, it will be fine. Wearing Wal-Mart flip-flops? Me too. Are you mixing prints today because it was all you could find that was clean? Own it.
5. What the heck your friends (or anyone) thinks of your children.
They are not your child’s parent. They know nothing about the inner workings of your child’s personality. They don’t know the extreme highs and lows your unique and intense children put you through day after day, so they just need to get over the fact that you are bribing your son with lollipops, appeasing your daughter with her pacifier, and that yelling mommy makes a regular appearance. This is your life and you are trying to both live and survive it — anyway you can is acceptable.
6. What kind of car you drive.
It doesn’t freakin’ matter if you drive a beat-up old Camry, a Cadillac Escalade, or a smelly, messy van. What matters is that your vehicle of choice or circumstance keeps you and your precious cargo safe. That is all that matters.
7. What your “job” is.
While I absolutely believe that each and every one of us has to have a job — be it one that gives you a consistent paycheck, one that pays in hugs and kisses, or one that doesn’t pay at all — all that matters is that you are doing something you enjoy and are passionate about; I don’t give a hoot what your official title (or lack thereof) is.
8. How much you weigh.
Seriously, no one can really tell or cares if you gained 10-20 lbs. over the holidays or while on vacation. Your beautiful heart, your humor, and your intelligence — that’s what you should care about and that’s what you should tend to.
9. How clean your house is.
As long as DFS wouldn’t deem your home to be unsanitary, accept the mess. Not only is it a sign of the memories being made in the home, it is also the sign of a bright mom who has decided not to unnecessarily burden herself with what doesn’t matter in life.
10. How perfect your life looks.
In fact, I challenge you and myself to make the rest of the year, and all of those ahead about celebrating all that is authentic and beautifully imperfect.
