Grits, Grace and Goals, The Power Trio

My husband and I just got home from a Parent’s Weekend at my children’s college.  We loved seeing my Junior’s friends from years past, and meeting the new friends my Freshman has made.  We did all of the bouncing from place to place, feeling nostalgic for our glory days, the previous times spent with our older son and joy for the experiences our kids have had or will have.

My husband and I noted how everything changes - the attire, the campus, the rec centers!, and yet in the same breathe, acknowledged that things remain the same - the balancing, the real life learning and the navigating what is unfamiliar.

I had a thought, that at any stage in life, we need 3 things, the Power Trio I am calling it.  We need Grit, Grace and Goals.  Whether you are a toddler learning to walk, a college student traversing a new campus or an adult, trying to navigate life, embracing these 3 things makes anything possible.

Grit - I love this word.  It can be defined in so many ways, just like we can define ourselves.  Grit can be courage and resolve; strength of character, or it can be small particles of sand.  I offer that both definitions are important to us in human development.  Having courage and strength or character for obvious reasons, but also small particles of sand that help smooth out the sharp edges in us.  We dig in and even out.

Grace - another complex word with multiple meanings.  Courteous, goodwill, polite manner of behaving and receiving unmerited favor are just a few ways to define grace.  We give grace to others, but do we give any to ourself.  I watched these college kids with all of their social graces, but wondered, do they know how to give themselves grace.  Do we as adults extend the grace to ourselves that we offer our kids?

Goals - the kids walking around campus had achieved the goal of getting into college.  Maybe they haven’t looked beyond that, or perhaps, their goals were so much bigger with long roads yet to travel.  They will need to embrace the grit inside of them and offer themselves a ton of grace to fail so they can achieve.

Are you, as an adults setting these goals for yourself?   Do you even know what you want, or have you become untethered and float through life letting it happen “to you.”  It is time to start choosing your life - setting goals even if it is as simple as walking around the block every day.  Setting goals takes grace and grit.  Failing forward towards a goal takes grace and grit.  Digging down deep into our desires with grit and showing ourselves grace when we fall short.  The Power Trio helps you create the life you choose.