Giving yourself grace (the capacity 🪣)

I wish I had learned years ago about my capacity bucket.

For the longest time, I thought I had to show up to work each day as the absolute best version of myself I had ever been. That 100 percent meant my peak performance, and anything less was bad.

It took years for me to unlearn this and recognize instead that I could only give 100 percent of what I had that day. Sometimes my capacity (bucket) would be higher, some days it would be lower. There would be long stretches of time where my bucket might be chronically low (like, say, a global pandemic — or following the outcome of a tense election).

I also failed to recognize that I had other people on my team whose buckets would also be higher or lower depending on their circumstances. I didn't see that I should look for opportunities to take on the work they might not have capacity for, or that I could ask them to take some of mine. If our team's work was the total amount of water we had to hold, how could each of our buckets handle it at any given time?

Now, knowing that I can show up with the capacity I have, and that I have teammates who will support me when I need it, and who I can support in turn, fills me to the brim with gratitude.

Whether it’s today, this week, or this year, I’m wishing you the courage to admit your capacity may not be where you’d like, and the understanding and support to know that you don’t have to push beyond your capability.

Our careers are not made in a day. Showing up how you are will help you keep going for the long haul. Give yourself the grace and space to know in your bones that however you can show up each day is enough, and help others as you can. Together, we will move forward.

❤️ If you found this helpful, please feel free to share my original LinkedIn post. ❤️

Next week: Join our Q&A on pivots

You’re invited to join me next Monday for a conversation with Laura Krantz McNeill, Senior Editor for Subscriber Products at The Chronicle of Higher Education, on how she navigated a "terrifying" transition from reporting to cross-functional audience and product work.

Laura will share her advice and take your questions on what you should consider if you're thinking about a career pivot. I hope you can join our conversation! Webinar registrants who are unable to join live will receive a recording of the call.

Laura can answer your questions on how to:

• Begin thinking about whether you want to pivot
• Explore other roles within news besides reporting, especially news product or audience
• Gain the skills you’re missing
• Frame your experience in conversations in a new field or discipline
• Quiet the voices telling you to stick with what you know
• Use your outsider perspective as an asset/secret weapon

Supporting subscribers, don’t forget to register below! Not yet supporting Explore Your Career River? Upgrade today for access. And as always, if you’re not getting paid for your work, you don’t have to pay for Career River. The registration link is below: