The Power of Showing Up (Even on Your Worst Days)

Written by  Megan L. Nixon

Some days, showing up looks powerful.

You’re rested, confident, wearing the outfit that makes you feel like you could take over the world —for those of you who read my previous blog, you know that includes sequins and sparkles!

Then there are the other days.

The “normal” days, if we’re being honest.

The days you run on caffeine (shoutout to my beloved iced coffees), self-doubt, and whatever emotional strength you could scrape together before getting out of the car.

The days when “doing your best” just meant you didn’t turn around and go home.

Those are the days we don’t talk about enough.

But those are the days that matter the most.

Because somehow, society decided that showing up only counts if it looks good from the outside.

Confident. Productive. Calm. Crushing it.

The version social media wants you to envy while quietly convincing you that you’re failing.

But most of the time, showing up actually looks like:

• Doing the bare minimum and feeling weirdly proud of it

• Smiling through a conversation while your brain screams, I want to go home

• Staying when quitting would’ve been easier — and honestly, more comfortable

Some days, showing up isn’t about being strong.

It’s about being stubborn.

Dragging yourself into the room when every part of you wants to disappear.

Choosing not to cancel, not to avoid, not to hide— even when you’re exhausted from always being “the strong one.”

And here’s the part we never give ourselves enough credit for:

Those days require more courage, not less.

Anyone can show up confident and capable. Easy. Rewarding. Fun.

But showing up when you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or doubting everything you thought you knew about yourself? That’s the sweet spot.

Sometimes showing up looks like meeting goals and making bold decisions.

Most of the time, it looks like quietly thinking, “I can’t do this… but I’m going to anyway.”

No applause. No highlight reel.

Just you, choosing to stay in it.

And that counts — even if no one else sees it.

There have been days I showed up physically, but it was with hair pulled back because effort felt offensive. Whatever outfit I convinced myself looked professional. Coffee in hand like a lifeline. Survival mode: engaged

The kind of day where you’re proud you put on real pants and didn’t cry in the parking lot. Or if you did cry, you at least managed to pull it together and tell everyone it was “allergies.”

I wasn’t confident. I wasn’t inspired. I wasn’t sure I had anything to contribute. Staying home and calling it self-care sounded like a perfect plan.

But I went anyway.

Quietly. Hoping no one asked how I was doing — because the honest answer was: “I’m here and that took everything.”

I wasn’t leading. I wasn’t shining. Mostly just nodding at the right moments and counting the minutes until I was able to leave.

And nothing remarkable happened.

No breakthrough. No inspiring speech. No cinematic “I am unstoppable” moment (queue the music and wind-blown hair moment).

What did happen?

I didn’t quit on myself.

And that mattered. The next time it was hard, showing up felt a little less heavy. My nervous system remembered: Oh yeah. We’ve done this before. We survived.

Showing up doesn’t always announce itself. It isn’t always Instagram-worthy.

Sometimes growth just looks like functioning.

And that counts.

How to Master the Art of Showing Up

Showing up isn’t a personality trait.

It’s a skill. Like any skill, it gets easier with practice — not perfection.

You don’t master it by suddenly becoming fearless or endlessly motivated.

You master it by learning how to show up even when you don’t feel like the strong version of yourself.

Here’s how:

1. Lower the Bar (Then Lower It Again)

If the standard is “show up confident, capable, and crushing it,” you’ll talk yourself out of going every time.

Instead, aim for: upright and breathing.

Tired? Counts.

Quiet? Counts.

Doing the bare minimum without dramatically collapsing on the floor? Gold star. Or maybe a confetti cannon.

2. Decide Before Your Feelings Get Involved

Feelings are allowed to ride shotgun — they just don’t get to drive.

Decide ahead of time: Unless I physically can’t, I’m going.

Wait until you feel ready? Congratulations, you aren’t going.

3. Redefine What “Enough” Looks Like

Some days, showing up means leading.

Other days, it's listening or just not rage-quitting mid-task.

Both are growth. Both matter.

Progress doesn’t require performance.

4. Stop Using Your Mood as a Measurement Tool

Feeling awkward or uncomfortable doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It usually means you’re stretching.

Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s awkward, heavy, mildly inconvenient — and that’s okay. Annoying? Sure. But still okay.

5. Start Noticing the Days You Didn’t Quit

We replay the days we failed.

We rarely celebrate the days we stayed.

Start counting those. Those are the days of building your resilience — even if no one claps.

If showing up today felt like a struggle, congratulations — you did the hard part.

Growth doesn’t require you to be fearless, polished, or inspirational.

It just requires choosing not to quit, even when showing up feels like an act of defiance.

So, show up tired.

Show up unsure.

Show up with dry shampoo, mismatched socks, and a coffee that’s already gone cold.

Because showing up isn’t about perfection.

It’s about being stubborn, messy, human… and unwilling to quit.

And if you do that — even on your worst days — you’re already winning at life in a way nobody else can see.

Thank you, Megan for sharing your experience with us. If you are interested in writing a blog, please email amanda@911derwomen.com. Sign up for our newsletter on our homepage to stay up to date with 911der Women programming, exclusive content and blog updates. Click here and scroll to the bottom.