Imperfection Is The New Perfection

Perfection is literally a beast! It’s a word many of us battle on a daily basis, but most importantly, it’s a trap.

I’d compare perfection to an endless jog on a hamster wheel. There’s no projection or acceleration- just exhaustion, sweat and most likely tears.

I have spent so many days (and nights) of my life obsessing over perfecting areas of my life that I felt needed fixing. Through the suggestions of others, constructive or not, I have been told to change this or change that…

And my question is…why?

I am not perfect and will NEVER be. My words, actions, every day life, people around me, and everything in between will not be perfect and to be honest…I’ve never been more grateful.

What I love about growing older is learning from my mistakes and learning from those around me.

I do not have all of the answers and I never will. I never thought I would say this, but I have never been more appreciative for being imperfect.

I believe that as we grow older, we learn to accept our imperfections and acknowledge that this is the key to growth.

Throughout my lifetime, I have mastered tasks like shoving my foot in my mouth during leisurely conversations. I have lost track of the number of times I have walked away from conversations knowing I had a harsh reaction, often thinking to myself, “Jess, you big dummy! WHY ON EARTH DID YOU JUST SAY THAT!?”

What did this teach me? It taught me how to be apologetic.

To add to my pile of imperfections, I have high expectations for everything and everyone. I only expect of others what I expect of myself, which more times than not, leaves me feeling disappointed.

I know what you’re probably thinking…

I have most likely been told exactly what you are thinking. It probably goes like this….”Expect less Jess and you won’t be disappointed.” Despite advice from others, this is one imperfection I have learned to embrace.

What does having high expectations teach me? It teaches me to have self respect and be independent.

One thing I have learned over the years is that there is power in loving yourself. I have grown to love myself and respect myself enough to know what I want and what I deserve in life. I have learned to be independent through disappointment and THIS, my friends, makes it all worth it.

Did I also mention that I am obnoxiously sarcastic? If I would let every sarcastic comment fly out of my mouth, I would be in a heap of trouble. I like to think sarcasm adds a little bit of spice to a conversation and keeps people laughing….

However this hasn’t always been the case!

I know at times my sarcasm has hurt peoples’ feelings. I get on a roll and take it just one step too far.

What has this taught me? It has taught me to watch my words, hold my tongue and be empathetic to the feelings of others’.

I’m only skimming the surface of my MANY imperfections. The list goes on and honestly, we would be here for a lifetime if I listed them all!

One life lesson I carry with me is learning from my mistakes.

I make mistakes all day, every day. I am just a young woman growing from my endless list of imperfections, trying to minimize perfection and embrace who I am becoming.

What it all comes down to is…

We can’t escape perfection. We all want it and we all strive for it, whether it be in our job, life, relationship, or something as simple as a daily task. We crave “perfect” because we see this through staged images blasted on social media…every. single. day.

Raise your hand if you are guilty of this. I know I am!

Many times I have come across a beautiful Instagram post or a Pinterest perfect home, cocked my head to the side and let out a sigh thinking, “I want this. I need that.”

So, how do we embrace imperfection…

We embrace imperfection by first loving ourselves. We need to love ourselves for who we are. How else are we suppose to grow and learn?

It’s all about perspective, peeps. I do not consider myself skilled in life AT ALL, but if there is anything I would tell my younger self, it would be to gravitate to the sunlight- aka “the bright side” and love every quirk, bump, lump and imperfection.

After all, this is what makes you- YOU!