Being perfect and being great are not the same.
My favorite holiday tradition is going to the Christmas tree farm and letting my children pick out the tree. As my son got older, he always voted for the ugliest tree. The more misshaped, lopsided, holes or missing branches it had, the more he wanted “that” one.
One year, I asked him why? He answered “ I am looking for the tree no one else would want. So it gets picked.” Well there you go, who could say no to that logic and compassion. So we brought home a short, fat, misshaped tree named Philip.
We decorated the tree and the kids went to bed. I sat in the dark thinking and looking at the lights blinking and thinking wow, this tree is beautiful. I didn’t see it’s potential in the field but I saw it now.
On that night 15 years ago, my acceptance and appreciation of things “not perfect” and my ability to see potential in people, things, situations, challenges and most of all myself shifted.
Self improvement and growing as a person is not about being perfect. A little progress goes a long way. Love yourself where you are at in the process. Why spend so much time and energy trying to be perfect? Make things perfect? Pretend things are perfect? What is perfect anyway? It is an ideal or idea. It doesn’t actually exist. It can’t.
Definition of perfect
‘perfect’
Something that is perfect is as good as it can possibly be.
being entirely without fault or defect
None of us can ever be as good as we possibly be can be. This is a good thing. There is always something we can learn or improve. It makes life interesting and gives us hope. We get to keep growing and exploring our entire lives. It makes life interesting. It is good thing!
“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together.” — Brené Brown
“Be happy with being you. Love your flaws. Own your quirks. And know that you are just as perfect as anyone else, exactly as you are.” — Ariana Grande
One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist…..Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.” — Stephen Hawking
Give yourself a break, your mental health will thank you. The effects of perfectionism on mental and physical health (medicalnewstoday.com)
The next time you are trying to be perfect or make something perfect, remind yourself perfection and greatness are not the same thing.