Accept the New Norm and Be Okay with It.

The other night my husband and I were discussing the current diet I am on. I complained about the ordeal of having to plan my meals and bring my own food to parties.  He said something that really stuck with me: "you keep looking at your diet as though it were out of the norm. But you need to look at it like your new 'norm,' then you can really enjoy the cheat days, and learn to appreciate the norm."
Now, of course this post isn't about dieting (though I could spend hours discussing it), but instead I wanted to talk about life with children...

What my husband said reminded me of the frustration I often feel of the state of my house, my slightly altered body (from being pregnant), or just the general chaos that seems to follow me around every day. I always long for a tidy house, a perfectly well-behaved child, a perfect body, and peace and quiet as though it is the norm that has evaded me since my son was born. Then it dawned on me: chaos is my new norm. Once I accept that a messy house and a chaotic day are my life, I can learn to appreciate it instead of resenting the mess.
So this morning I looked around at my messy dining room table, my kitchen sink full of dishes from the night before, toys all over the floor, and my unmade bed and I had a new appreciation for my life. I accept this new norm, and I'm okay with it.

Now, I'm not advising anyone to stop cleaning your house, making your bed, working out, or doing the dishes... what I'm saying is to learn to be content with some imperfections in your life. The blessings in my life are totally worth all of the imperfections that my house and body suffer because of them.

Let's strive for contentment but never for complacency!