underpromise and overdeliver

A standard that I strive for is underpromising and overdelivering. This is a mentality that surrounds various facets of my life: mainly my work environment, friendships, and school.

With my work environment, I feel as though it has been quite a struggle for me to achieve this on a regular basis. There are so many days where I feel like I am being spread too thin (maybe wasn't such a great idea to accept those 3 part time jobs), and I barely have the effort to just "promise and deliver." No "-under or -over" involved. And it becomes a vicious cycle, I see that my promises are trumping my delivery and I become frustrated with myself, questioning my abilities and capabilities, but more than that sad that I don't know my limitations on when enough is enough.

Life has been tumultuous for me lately, the one year anniversary of my dear friend Eve has brought me back to that day, and I am reliving the shock and horror of unexplainable tragedy. I have discovered that through this preoccupation, my ability to deliver has waned. I am forgetful all of a sudden, and "Greer is never forgetful." Here is where my controlling nature tends to rear its demon eyes at me...for I become so hard on myself for forgetting, instead of being soft around my tenderness and vulnerability. It is a balance I am learning to strike, so now when I forget things, I accept that I have, and move forward. But always in my work I am striving to underpromise and overdeliver. I know I will get there.

Friendships...I pride myself on nurturing. It is a difficult thing for me to say no to friends, I crave that support from others, and so in return I live it as wholly as possible. It is a good feeling to go a step and beyond for the people that I live, so I feel this phrase ties in well with my own life. It feels natural for me to go the distance, because I want those people around me to know just how much I care.

School wasn't always a treat for me. When I graduated from nursing school, I had it burned in my brain that I would never be in the classroom again. And after a year separated from my experiences in undergraduate and being given an opportunity to do some self exploration, I entered into counseling psychology. And here is where I feel I overdeliver, and not because I want to impress, but because I love the subject matter.

So in essence, I feel it is a good way to live...underpromise but overdeliver.