When life hands you lemons you’re supposed to make lemonade, right?

That is what I’ve been made to believe, but that just doesn’t work in my life.

If life hands me lemons, they will sit in the bowl until they rot, most likely.

I don’t see myself as a pessimist, but a realist. I know how I’d like for things to go, but I’m also aware of how things most likely will.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I’d prefer to be the person who takes punches and always gets back up, but I’m not. So far, life has shown me that I can’t always win. I can’t always squeeze those lemons and make lemonade. But, what I have learned is that it is okay to push things to the side. I don’t always have to attempt a swing at a curve ball.

Being a wife and a mother who works full time can be rough. Not only am I trying to succeed for my own benefit, but I am trying to lead by example.

I want my kids to see me ‘roll with the punches’ and come out on top, SWINGING every time, but it is unrealistic to paint that picture for them.

I want to paint a picture where they know it is okay to set that lemon aside and focus on what they were doing; give that lemon your attention WHEN YOU CAN.

As women and mothers we are idealized to be invincible, bulletproof and always succeeding. Although we all want to believe we are those things, we need to recognize that we are human and we can’t predict what life is going to throw our way.

I never want my children to feel like they’re failing because they couldn’t fit that lemonade into their schedules.

If I hide my setbacks, I am setting them back.