One of my good friends in high school taught me the motto “Go big or go home.”
For many years, this motto encouraged me to be bold. To think outside the box. Not to let my fear of failure keep me from trying big things. “Go big or go home!” nudged me to try out for the Jazz Band. To dance like no one was looking. To sing in the Wieboldt Arch. To say Yes to my husband.
But lately, in these days of simultaneously working on many projects and being pulled in many directions, I need a new motto.
I’m going to go with “Something is Better than Nothing.” It’s not big and brassy. Definitely not bold. But SIBTN is what these days call for.
When Something is Better than Nothing, the ten minutes of yoga I can squeeze in before breakfast gets me through the day.
When Something is Better than Nothing, wiping the sticky spots off of the floor counts as mopping.
When Something is Better than Nothing, I go for a two-mile run instead of no run at all.
When Something is Better than Nothing, fifteen minutes of snuggles with my daughter means a lot.
When Something is Better than Nothing, I can write a short note to a friend, instead of a three-page letter.
When Something is Better than Nothing, a whole bunch of little gestures add up to a full life. And I am so grateful for the many facets of this life.
from a recent trip to the art museum
What’s your motto these days? Are you needing the boldness of “Go Big or Go Home” or the encouragement of “Something is Better than Nothing”?
Learning As We Go 
I really love that you’ve come up with Something is Better than Nothing. I think we all too often get way too wrapped up in Go Big or Go Home. It’s not that there isn’t a place for it. There is. Sometimes that’s just not a place that WE should be going. It’s for someone else. Being able to appreciate the little things & savor the small moments is truly a beautiful thing!
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Thanks, Jodie!
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My current motto is “I can do anything for a year.” I also like The Nester’s motto, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.”
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Amen to both of those!
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I like both of those!
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Annie when you die you don’t want the stone to say she kept a clean house! or she was Perfect! or she wrote the Perfect notes! You want it to say: she raised Exceptional Adults!
My favorite saying is” I live in my own little world, but it’s ok, they know me there! “I gave up a long time ago trying to do everything, it’s not possible. But I do have two cool kids/adults that I’m very proud of! Thats the only thing that matters!
Love you!
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Your mom gave mine a fridge magnet once that says “Housework makes you ugly.” It’s not true for everyone, but it’s true for me!
Your kids are awesome adults. Good job!
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Oh, I resonate with this! My current motto is: “Not perfect, but *better*.”
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I like that! A surgeon I worked with in residency always said “Perfect is the enemy of good.”
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Wiebolt Arch. Thanks for that memory.
Your are really “something” – whatever your motto.
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