Have you ever felt like you had to be perfect to succeed in life?
I surely have. "If only I were perfect, it would all be OK," is an all to common thought that passes through my head.
My sisters called me Miss Perfect when we were growing up. I thought that I had to be perfect. I believed that any mistake was a threat to my existence. That sounds really dramatic doesn’t it? I believed it anyway.
I have spent my life striving for perfection and thinking that would keep me safe and satisfied. That constant pursuit has created stress and disappointment time and time again.
Why is it so difficult to accept that I am a beautifully, imperfect human being? I have strengths and weaknesses and sometimes I can’t tell which is which.
Shame comes in and tells me that I am not the perfect parent, perfect nurse practitioner or even the perfect person. Who is? What a lie!
I just skip right over beautiful imperfection when I look at my own humanity. Yet I am so willing to forgive others imperfections. In fact, I support and celebrate them. I see them as growth opportunities.
Why is it so difficult to do that for myself?
To let go of the need to control.
To believe that beautifully imperfect is my goal.
To let go and live in my blessed, beautiful imperfect body.
To forgive myself when things don’t turn out just as I had planned them in my head.
To accept that standing in my own body, telling my own truth and sharing my beautifully imperfect self with others is the greatest gift that I can give.
My goal today is to actively forgive and bless myself every time the anxiety of imperfection grips my chest. As I write that sentence, my shoulders relax a little and I feel a slow, gentle exhale of relief.
I hope that you will join me today and take a few minutes to forgive and bless yourself for whatever imperfection shame is throwing in your face.
I hope that you will look in the mirror with kind eyes and smile at yourself.
I hope that you will breath in grace and breath out shame.
I hope that you will revel in the freedom of beautiful imperfection.
Yours in beautiful imperfection,
Lynda
P.S. I'm here for you and totally dedicated to helping co-create sustainable health and wellness in my self and others! So don't hesitate to reach out!