When I am working through familiar challenges, I tell myself, “You’ve been here before.”
It’s the week of the musical and the whole family is involved at one level or another? You’ve been here before.
You’re two weeks out from your first concert, and the music isn’t as well-prepared as it should be? You’ve been here before.
There’s a fast-approaching deadline to complete an important project? You’ve been here before.
Here’s the thing, though. I haven’t been here before. Trying to do familiar work-based challenges, while still in the throes of a pandemic? I haven’t been here before. Trying to negotiate a stressful few weeks on the job while also dealing with many health protocols, even as the mental health of literally everyone is frayed? No, I haven’t been here before.
I still believe it’s all possible. I still work every day towards completing these challenges.
But I haven’t been here before.