How to avoid turning days when you couldn't do things right into failures

On days when I couldn't do things right,
I often used to call them failures.

Days when I couldn't move according to plan.
Days when I didn't make as much progress as I thought I would.
Days when I felt somewhat heavy.

I would easily conclude,
"I was no good again today."

But recently,
I've started to think that might be a little wrong.

—

Days when you couldn't do things right
might not be failures,
but rather days when you needed some breathing room.

Maybe I could have done it if I had pushed myself.
Maybe I could have moved if I had put in the effort.

But,
the reason I didn't move
is likely because I was tired somewhere.

—

We
only mark the things we couldn't do.

Rather than what we did,
we count what was lacking.

But in reality,
it's not that we "didn't do it,"
but that we "protected ourselves" in some cases.

I didn't push myself too hard.
I stopped before I broke.
I didn't take it out on anyone.

That might not have been a failure,
but a choice.

—

Days when you couldn't do things right
don't have to be days for evaluation,
but days for observation.

What felt heavy today?
Where did my energy drop off?

Instead of blaming yourself,
just take a little look.

With just that,
that day is no longer a failure.

—

I don't know if things will go well tomorrow.

But,
just by not making today a failure,
my breathing becomes a little deeper.

I think that is enough.