During a moment when I feared that I had made a mistake — one that would have unintentionally slighted a hero of mine — a friend offered me kind, timely advice.

“Breathe. It’s probably much worse in your imagination. Go easy on yourself.”

And importantly: “Give yourself grace.”

I typed that last part into my personal notes. But my fingers duped me, typing “grade” instead of grace.

It prompted me to think of how often we judge ourselves — and harshly too — giving ourselves average or failing grades rather than viewing ourselves with love and self-compassion.

Don’t begin with grades.

Begin with grace.