How Sugar Cookies Taught Me It’s Okay to Screw Up

How sugar cookies taught me it’s okay to screw up

The other day I made a huge batch of sugar cookie dough. I have my week very carefully planned with specific items to do each day because everything hinges on the previous item getting done. I put the dough in the fridge to set overnight and the next day took it out to roll, cut and bake. The following day I would decorate and then present the cookies. Half of them were for an event with friends and the other half were my contribution toward a baby shower at work. In both cases, I volunteered to bring cookies.

In exactly ZERO cases it mattered.

I know this because that dough turned out sticky and completely unusable. I have no idea what I did to screw it up. Maybe I missed doubling one of the items or miscounted when I added the 10 cups of flour 1/2 cup at a time? No clue. What I DO know is that those cookies didn’t get made. I realized that in the days following there would be absolutely no time to re-do the dough, so I made an executive decision and didn’t even try. I didn’t stay up until 2am trying again like I would normally do. I didn’t even go to the store and buy pre-made cookies or dough. Instead, I continued on with my (self-inflicted) crazy life for the next few days.

The event went on. The baby shower was a success. The cookies weren’t missed. No one even noticed. Not even me! What is this craziness? Where was my anxiety surrounding my failure? Where was the jury convicting me of negligence?

I screwed up and the most beautiful thing happened; I realized I don’t have to be perfect. Food will be prepared for events. Costumes will get made. PTO will meet. All this will happen with or without me.

And it’s okay. Actually, it’s more than okay. It’s fabulous!

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