Business owners are hard on themselves. And that’s to be expected – we have high expectations and we always fall short, because there’s always one more thing we could have done.

Motherhood is the same.

We do one wrong thing – yell in frustration, don’t get the dishes done, or even just not shower – and then we feel guilty about it for DAYS.

Business owners are the same. We do one wrong thing – forget to post on social media, get turned down for a proposal, or even wonder why we can’t seem to figure out the right way to respond to angry customers – and we feel inadequate and like an imposter for days.

I’m both a mom and a business owner, and I screw up all.the.time. And it’s not for lack of trying, either.

I have amazing mentors.

I have brilliant examples of success.

I even have GOOGLE for everything I don’t know.

And yet I still screw up. I listen to advice from people smarter than me and I blow it. I don’t listen to advice and wonder what would have happened if I HAD. I succeed and wonder what’s actually going on. I don’t respond to emails as quickly as I should. I don’t know what I’m going to make for dinner. I question my Instagram aesthetic. I forget to do the laundry and wear the same shirt two days in a row. I don’t consistently bill out. I get frustrated when my kids don’t move as quickly as I think they should.

And I feel guilty. I feel inadequate. I feel like an imposter. Both as a mother and as a business owner.

It’s really not a great feeling. It’s heavy and suffocating and discouraging.

And I’m sick of it.

I’m ready to embrace the good.

Because I do a lot of good things – both as a mother and as a business owner.

I do good work. I make my kids breakfast. I’m an awesome designer with a keenly trained eye. I tickle my kids until we’re all laughing with tears in our eyes. I’m a great teacher.

I need to give myself grace. I need to do today’s best – not my very best, just today’s best. And sometimes today’s best is sweats and snuggles. Other days I feel like an unstoppable warrior goddess who gets crap done. Those days can’t compare. My best is not the same each day.

And neither is yours.

So give yourself grace. You don’t have to do your best every day. You just have to do TODAY’s best.

And yes, there will ALWAYS be room for improvement. It’s called a journey, remember?

But I promise to try harder to not beat myself up for the inevitable daily struggle and stumble. Will you join me?

Join me in grace.

Join me in kindness.

Join me in laughter.

And join me in patience.

Because whether you’re a mom, a business owner, both, or somewhere in-between, we could all use a little more patience. And a whole lot more grace.