I learn a variety of things from #etmooc educators, but the other day one of them said something that really resonated:

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t do everything — only feel guilty if you don’t do anything.

Get me that as a tattoo. I wrestle with guilt, but I recognize it as a largely wasted/wasteful emotion, and I refuse to let it paralyze me.

Just because there is so much I dream of doing does not mean I fail if I do not do it all. I have to relearn this over and over, so if not a tattoo perhaps I need a t-shirt or a half-full glass.

I am a little behind on this MOOC. But I also just had a piece of writing accepted for a stage show! I am scrambling to get some personal things done, but I’m spending more time being creative with my children. I haven’t accomplished all my goals for this year at school, but there is still time, and I have accomplished some things I didn’t even anticipate.

I write this to imprint upon myself that balance is perhaps an imaginary thing, certainly elusive, and sometimes one side of the scale has to give way to the other for good reasons; I write this to remember that this truth is more than just okay, it is how people live and thrive, it is how I rock and roll…

Recently I helped out some with an unconference. Uncharacteristically, I contributed less than most members of the team. The other members of the group are super stars, and they created an incredible day of engagement and learning and connecting, and my contributions were limited to a few planning meanings and soliciting some swag, because I had some other balls in the air at the same time. Each time the edcamp team includes me in any bit of credit, I cringe like an imposter. Yesterday that happened – that guilty feeling of shoulds (I should have done this, or that, and more…) Then, with perfect timing, the #etmooc came to my rescue. Dean Shareski said (and I hope/think I’m getting this line right):

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t do everything — feel guilty if you don’t do anything.

I needed that reminder, and I hope it helps you, too.