Perfection, is a topic that we constantly grapple with as humans. Achieving this ideal body, or image, or standard…this ideal LIFE. I know I can’t be the only one that’s experienced that soul crushing feeling of pressure to just thrive and excel, at something, at anything.
At everything.
The thing about perfection is that it’s one of life’s biggest thieves. It steals so much time, so many possible moments and laughs and meals and so much joy. It creates these terrible, intimate, monstrous shadows of us (our “perfect” selves) that forget about the small, beautiful things we have that make life worth living.
There would be no need for love if perfection were possible. Love arises from our imperfection, from our being different and always in need of the forgiveness, encouragement and that missing half of ourselves that we are searching for, as the Greek myth tells us, in order to complete ourselves.
Eugene Kennedy
Not to mention how fruitless perfection actually is. This wild concept we obsess over? It’s boring. And exhausting. And strangely “un-human”. Some of the best things about us are born from our mistakes. From our authentic “humanness” (which is certainly not perfect).
Imperfections and flaws are quite lovely in the right eyes.
So I’ve made a deal with myself:
As hard as it may be, I am no longer going to strive for perfection. No.
I will, however, strive to be kind. To touch some souls and heal some hearts where I can. I will strive for magnificence. Clumsy, messy, gorgeous magnificence. I’ll strive to bring about joy and life wherever I go, and to remember how lucky I am just to LIVE. To be here, right now, existing gloriously.
I’m striving to be imperfect. Wonderfully and lovingly imperfect…
Yes. I’d say that’s a far better deal than perfection.
One of my biggest flaws (possibly my fatal flaw) is this idea of wanting to do everything at 100%. Now, don’t get me wrong, wanting to do your best and putting in hard work is amazing, truly. However what’s not amazing is putting insane pressure on ourselves to reach these unrealistic goals. It is physically impossible to do everything at 100%. Now do me a favor and read that again. In fact, it is physically impossible to do ANYTHING at 100%, because there is so much that we are constantly doing and thinking and seeing and being…
My therapist came up with this challenge for me called 80-100: basically that 80% IS 100%. Whether it be on a test/assignment, on how I look, how good of a person I am, whatever… 80% is enough. More than enough. 80% is pretty fricking amazing 🙂
So I challenge you, today, to love yourself at 80%. Allow your life to breathe, give imperfection some space to seep in. Because I’ve found that I can appreciate life and just how incredible it is when I’m not beating myself up over some bullshit 100%
Which one of the paintings is ‘Perfect’?
Wabi Sabi 
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