As an adult I’m realizing that no one has it all figured out.

As a kid, I saw many of the main adults in my life as my heroes.

I looked up to them as these all-knowing pillars and sages who lives were a culmination of deeply calculated moves and intent. They didn’t really feel things like insecurity or doubt because they had it all together.

That’s changed now.

I see the adults in my life differently. They aren’t the unflawed, could-never-do-wrong people that I once thought they were.

They’re human.

And part of being human in making choices without certainty, feeling doubt, insecurity, and winging it when your kid — that won’t stop eating — asks for dinner that night and you’re too tired to cook after a long day at work (a kid’s gotta eat mom). These humans also feel scared and make mistakes too.

And yeah, for some of these adults, looking at some of their choices in retrospect do I slightly judge at times and think they could have made some differently?

Sure.

But though the reverence that I used to have for many of these adults in my life is gone, it’s been replaced by something else…

Admiration.

Admiration for being scared and making bold choices anyway—because that’s courage.

Admiration for being knocked down in life and getting back up—because that’s resilience.

Admiration for owning up to mistakes—because that’s accountability.

So thank you to the adult role models who showed (and are still showing) me how to live with the imperfections that we all undoubtedly have as human beings.