showing up anyways

​If you type 'you got this' on a Facebook post - the color of the font changes to purple and staircases of thumbs-up symbols start dancing up and down the screen. I guess Facebook has figured out we like to use their platform to say 'you got this' to one another.

I've come to realize that 'you got this' is more invitation than encouragement. It's an invitation to keep showing up when showing up doesn't feel, sound or look easy. "You got this' is a recognition that life is sometimes more of a fight than a party - but either way - you don't win a fight or have fun at the party if you don't show up.

We get each new breath for a reason. Is there any more tangible sign in life than the breath of life to remind us to keep going? Whether you believe that breath was created, or it just showed up - it showed up for a reason.

It shows up to say, 'you got this.' Our willingness to keep going is the best thank you note we can write to each breath we get.

At times, I think we have a hard time honoring the invitation to believe 'you got this' because life doesn't always look like I've got this. It's hard to carry on like I've got this when life looks a lot like nobody's got this.

I have this pattern in my life. It's not a feel-good pattern, but it's a pattern I'm thankful for. It's a pattern of life often feeling like nobody's got this, but me showing up anyways. It's a pattern that's made me wonder if 'having it all together' is just an illusion; a pattern that's made me wonder if it's important to even know if it is or not.

Because really, the secret to life isn't getting it all together, it's showing up no matter what.

At the starting line of my marathon Saturday morning, I told my friend Tiffany, if it were anyone else, I likely wouldn't have showed up. For a lot of reasons, nothing felt right about the morning.

But my pattern has taught me something in life. Whether I feel like getting out of bed or not is irrelevant. Whether I feel like showing up for a marathon or not is irrelevant. Whether the next step in life looks put together or not is irrelevant.

Showing up is what is relevant.

I've joked a lot this week about 'over celebrating' marathon number 6. The reality is, I can't over celebrate it. I can't over remind myself of the value in showing up.

Because when your pattern in life is life feeling nobody's got this, and you showing up anyways - you need all the reminders you can get that pattern has a happy ending.

You need all the reminders you can get happy isn't often life coming together just right - it's your willingness to believe 'you got this' when it doesn't feel right at all.

Happy Friday you all. And you got this.