a commitment to finish strong

It’s that “wrap it up” time of year. For many of us, April and May signal the end of some big things. It might be the school year or a project, a class or a whole degree. Just as the weather turns seductive with its mild temperatures and longer days to lure us out of our winter funk, we need to be pressing in toward completion.

Dates have been circled on May’s calendar. Schedules overloaded with extras. Parties, meetings, deadlines.

Those things we started in August or January or even spring break have lost their spark. Distractions are everywhere, tempting us to just phone it in.

We are worn out. It feels like we’ve done more work than we thought possible and want nothing more than to coast downhill to the finish line. We smell a change of routine and it has us all chasing squirrels and scrolling Instagram for cute sandals.

HOW DO WE STAY COMMITTED TO FINISHING STRONG AND WHY DOES IT EVEN MATTER?

Last fall, my husband and I met up with two couples for a weekend in Nashville. Longtime friends, we raised our babies and toddlers together before each moved to a different state. That short season bonded us and it was crazy good to spend time together.

We talked at length about our collective ten children. Each of us has one kid left in our home and we laughed long and hard about how different it has been parenting the last poor offspring. If helicopter parenting is for the getting the first two or three out the door, then the last one gets something that looks more like a lawn chair at the end of the runway.

Good luck, baby doll. Mama and Daddy are tired.

But by the end of the weekend, all six of us agreed. We have to finish strong. We reminded each other of what we were called to as parents and the stakes involved with taking our eye off the ball. Now we randomly text each other #FinishStrong. (Which is usually accompanied by an example of how we are NOT.) Old friends who know your junk can be the best way to stay on track.

When you stumble onto a piece of solid wisdom you know it solid when it applies to the big and small things of our lives. Whether you are headed toward something big like the end of a parenting season or small like wrapping up a school year or a home project….

Here are a few tricks that might help you finish your race strong.

Remember Your Why – This is crucial when you feel like you’ve lost all motivation to finish, much less strong. Go back to the beginning and reflect on why you started in the first place. Realize just how far you’ve come. Then dig deep and just put one foot in front of the other. Read this for a little more on remembering your why.

Savor the Season – Before you know it, whatever you are doing now will be tidied up and you’ll be off to the next thing. Don’t let a longing for something new steal the presence from this day. Pause and breathe. Soak in the gifts offered. Make the ordinary moments extraordinary by paying attention.

Rally the Troops – Call a friend or talk to a colleague. Use your language to document all the feels. Invite someone else to mark time with you in whatever way you need that to look. And make time to do the same for someone else.

One last thought.

Often the mere act of finishing, IS strong.

You’ve got this!