I love that southern expression, "I'm in a real pickle!"

You might be in a pickle if you wreck your car, lose your job, your bank account drops dangerously low, you just broke up with you boyfriend/girlfriend, are getting divorced, or any number of things that suck.

Here's the deal.

It's easy to get self-critical and judgmental when we're in a pickle.

"Why didn't I see that coming?"

"Why didn't I do something different along the way?"

"I always mess up my _________ (fill in the blank with your favorite answer; job, relationship, finances, etc.)"

"I must have done something wrong or this wouldn't have happened." (My personal favorite.)

I was coaching a client recently who said one of these to me about her life. As always, it stops me dead in my tracks.

I mean, do we really think it's possible to do everything right so we never get in a pickle?

I don't want to burst your bubble, but it's not possible.

And...you didn't do anything wrong and you don't alway screw-up anything. Sure, we have patterns and lessons to learn. That's fine. Those thoughts aren't as stressful as the ones I'm talking about.

The thoughts I'm talking about are the ones that cut you to your core. That judge you and leave you feeling in lack, or less than, or not good enough. Those thoughts are always a lie.

You are a gorgeous human being. Human beings are not perfect. Humans beings live in a world that isn't perfect. That means....

Sometimes, you get in a pickle. And that's okay. Don't judge yourself. Learn your lesson, if there is one, and move on. Love yourself enough to know, there will always be another pickle. It's part of the journey.