Put Your Head Down & Do the Dang Thing
I read something the other day that was the kick in the butt I needed to hear.
A woman online was sharing the differences between people today and their ancestors. She talked about how we both have the same 24 hours in a day, but our grandparents seemed to accomplish so much more. What gives?
This was her take: “They didn’t care about the mental load, they just did the work.”
She goes on to say that “the mental load of worrying about the mental load is worse than the load we actually carry.”
How true is that?
It’s like how the mental load of the Sunday scaries is worse than the actual workload that comes on Monday morning.
Or how the mental load of sharing the gospel (What if I stumble over my words? What if they don’t like what I have to say? What if they ask me a question and I don’t know how to answer it?) is worse than the actual sharing of the gospel.
My mental load right now?
Being a working mom.
Is it my heart’s desire to be working while someone else watches my son?
No, but I’m doing it because it’s what I need to do to put food on the table.
To keep myself in the right headspace (ie without a mental load), I’ve been turning to the "Proverbs 31” woman for some inspiration on how she would handle this season of life.
Here’s what I’ve observed so far…
She wouldn’t worry about the mental load of getting up early…
Instead, “she gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants” (Proverbs 31:15 NIV).
She wouldn’t worry about how busy she is…
No, “she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31:27 NIV).
She wouldn’t worry about what tomorrow holds…
Rather, she clothes herself with strength and dignity and “can laugh at the days to come” (Proverbs 31:25 NIV).
This is the woman I aspire to be.
One that isn’t bogged down by her role as wife, mom, and employee—but elevated by it. And how sweet are the blessings that can come of it…
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28 NIV).
“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate” (Proverbs 31:31 NIV).
So here’s to putting my head down and doing the work—rather than burdening myself with the mental load that I was never meant to carry in the first place.
