I’m stuck in Survival Mode…and I’m fine with it.

Anyone else feeling like they’re living in a constant state of “Survival Mode” lately?

I cannot be the only one with her hand raised.

Some weeks are better than others. Some days are better than others. Heck, some hours are better than others and that feels like how I’m living anymore…

Hour by hour, baby.

I feel like I’m trapped in Survival Mode and I’m not sure when I’ll get out of it… and I’m ok with that.

I’m ok with accepting Survival Mode and giving myself all the grace that I need whenever I’m walking down a hard road (whether that road is a new baby, a new job, a big move, or a global pandemic). Parenting will not look the same in Survival Mode and that’s fine.

The house might be a wreck.

The TV might be on too much.

The laundry might be piling up, but you know what? It’s ok for things to not be ok.

Give yourself the grace you give others.

I’m giving myself permission and grace to do the best I can and to hold my head high. I invite you to do the same. When you’re in Survival Mode, you can’t hold your current self against your former self. That’s not fair. Those are different people in different situations living different lives.

Remember: it’s ok to feel exhausted right now. It’s normal to feel burnt out. It’s fine to be tired and weary. You aren’t alone.

For me, I don’t know when I’ll finally feel like this Survival Mode season is behind me or when I’ll be able to fully forge a new path of parenting normal, but until then… I’m cutting myself slack, giving myself grace, and knowing that someday, I’ll look back on this time and be unbelievably proud of how I did.

And I know I will.