Mess-essary Moments

Mess-essary Moments

The Pressure to Be Consistent is Exhausting

On showing up imperfectly, again and again

Marissa Garza's avatar
Marissa Garza
Apr 27, 2025
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There's relief in realness.

I stood in my kitchen yesterday morning, staring at the dishes from three nights ago. The ones I'd promised myself I'd wash "first thing tomorrow." Three tomorrows had come and gone. The pan with crusty remnants of Monday's pasta sauce stared back at me, a small monument to my inconsistency.

My brain whispered the familiar script: Good people don't let dishes pile up. Responsible adults maintain routines. Successful creators stick to schedules.

Maybe you know this voice too. The one that equates consistency with worth.

It’s the same voice that tells us if we can’t post every Tuesday at 9am exactly, we shouldn’t bother posting at all. That skipping a week of your newsletter means you’ve broken some sacred contract. That being trustworthy means being predictable.

What an exhausting way to live.

The Consistency Myth

We’ve mythologized consistency. Made it holy. Turned it into proof of dedication and character.

But here’s what I keep relearning: Consistency doesn’t mea…

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© 2025 Marissa Garza
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