This past week I have been thinking about what it means to be new at something and how hard that can be for people; how hard that is for me. As a new Realtor in what seems like a sea of Real Estate agents, I have been humbled by a few rookie moves I made recently.
It was humbling to have my Broker Manager come to my aid when my lockbox key wouldn’t work as I was showing a house to a client. And it was humbling to forget to knock as I entered a home for a showing, only to realize the homeowner’s teenage daughter was home from school that day watching TV on the couch.
Although those two particular rookie moves have happened to almost every real estate agent I know, I felt stupid that they happened to me. There went my shot at being both new and perfect at the same time. Instead I guess I’ll just be perfectly new.
It is quite an affliction to suffer from perfectionism and be “new”. Whether it is in a new job, as a homemaker, or as a parent, I have found it difficult to make mistakes when so badly I wanted to be great right from the start. I beat myself up when I make them and I wish I could stop, rewind, and do it over. “See, never happened” I would then get to say.
I saw this mug on Facebook that I am going to buy for myself, it reminds me that perfection is impossible and it is okay to be just okay at something. The mug read, “World’s Okayest Mom”. It reminded me that perfection is impossible and average is good enough. Not only is it just good enough, it’s more realistic.
I have learned that having a sense of humor about my rookie moves is going to keep me afloat in this world. I’m grateful that my new job and my two “rookie moves” have given me this new found perspective. Perhaps, it is all I needed to relax and trust in all areas of my life.
My work “rookie moves” have also given me the opportunity to reflect on some of the rookie moves I have made as a parent over the past six years. I’m going to highlight ten of my all time favorites just for your enjoyment:
My Top 10 Parenting Rookie Moves
- Leaving the house without the diaper bag
- Leaving the house without a change of clothes for the baby in the diaper bag
- Leaving the house without a diaper in the diaper bag
- No wipes on a road trip
- Getting on the airplane without a fresh shirt for myself and forgetting that I had a nursing baby that likes to spit up with me.
- Going to the playground without snacks or water for my hungry kids (then watching my kids then saddle up next to other moms and feeling the heat for not coming prepared)
- Putting a baby who just learned how to roll over on the bed for a second while I did something (Thud! Waaaa!)
- Criticizing my husband for allowing the kids to have a bag of potato chips when just the morning before I bought them a donut, which he kindly pointed out.
- Letting my kid go to sleep with a pack of markers which resulted in our nice Pottery Barn comforter covered in purple ink and Georgia also covered in purple ink making her look like she had been badly bruised (I wanted to badly bruise her after that one but I didn’t)
- Allowing my kids to eat in the car (period). (Allowing my kids to eat anything, anywhere really).
Parenthood has been like one giant science experiment; sometimes it comes out right, other times it explodes in my face, but no matter what, it always comes out the way that it is supposed to come out in the end. I have made lots and lots of mistakes in my job as a parent but I love my kids immensely and I think they are great kids.
I’m hopeful that even though I still feel new in so many ways in parenthood, I can reflect on my parenting as I pursue this new career and not be afraid to keep trying despite my recent “rookie moves”. As much as possible, I’m going to continue to have fun and enjoy my journey, and in doing so, the mistakes that come with it.
So, here’s to making mistakes, and loving yourself through them.