Let the Ball Almost Drop

There are seasons when doing your best does NOT look like doing it all. This is one of those seasons for me.

Work is full in the best way. At the same time, I’ve been navigating a not-so-fun tech transfer in my business, while having a full personal life and living with a chronic health condition.

Put simply, I’m at capacity.

And because I’m at capacity, this week’s newsletter is an intentional reframe.

I’m not dropping the ball entirely. I’m also not doing everything I’d normally do.

Instead, I’m doing the bare minimum to keep the ball afloat.

So often, we talk about “dropping the ball” like it means failure. Like if something isn’t handled with our usual level of energy, detail, or excellence, then we’ve somehow let it all come crashing down.

But that’s not always true.

Choosing “good enough” is not a cop-out. It’s wisdom.

It’s knowing your capacity. It’s honoring your limits. It’s choosing sustainability over self-abandonment and ultimately burnout.

I think a lot of us need that reminder right now.

There are so many demands. So many expectations. So much noise telling us to keep going, keep producing, keep responding, keep performing. 

I recently saw an Aleve ad that admonished, “You can’t afford to slow down.”

But we are human, not machines. We can’t afford NOT to slow down, otherwise we’re trying to make a 500 mile road trip in an e-car on a single charge when the capacity is 300 miles (oh wait, turns out machines can’t go perpetually either). 

Sometimes the most responsible thing we can do is to slow down. Sometimes the best way to stay at your best is you pause and reflect. And that’s my invitation to you right now…

• Where are you tapped out?

• What ball in your life or work just needs the minimum to stay afloat?

• What does the bare minimum look like here?

We can decide that some things need our full attention (like client work). While some things can be held more lightly (hello Challenge Accepted Newsletter). And others we drop entirely.

If you find yourself at capacity, I give you permission to do only what’s necessary to keep the most important balls afloat, while letting others drop.

That might not feel impressive. But it might be exactly what helps you keep going.

You’ve Got This,

Ariana

If you’ve found value in what I wrote here and you want to support me in continuing to create, guide, write, and make space for deeper transformation, I invite you to buy me a tea.

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