I found this article from Happiness.com and I thought it sums up what I truly believe.
Accepting our flaws and insecurities as we pursue our dreams can help us carve out an accomplished and meaningful life.
Here are six steps you can take towards embracing imperfections and even celebrating them.
Be Well,
Anisa
1. Find The Positive Side In Our Flaws…
The first step towards embracing imperfections is to be mindful and shift your perspective regarding how you perceive yourself. Stop viewing yourself as insufficient or lacking in certain areas, and start seeing yourself as a whole being, albeit flawed. Moreover, upon reflection you may find that your flaws or imperfections offer you a unique edge.
David Richo, renowned psychotherapist, and author of Wholeness & Holiness recommends including affirmations in one’s daily routine that pertain to letting go of notions of perfection. To begin embracing imperfections, try telling yourself, “I let go of my need to be in control” and “I let go of my need to be correct, first and perfect all the time.”
2. Realize That Your Imperfections Make You Human…
Imperfections give you character and make you authentic. Whenever you find yourself getting swayed anew by the portrayal of someone who’s perfectly put-together and efficient, try imagining that individual in your daily life. You may be surprised by the revelation that their flawlessness might begin to annoy or bore you in no time.
Most of us try to erase our peculiarities and hide quirks rather than accept them as a vital part of our personalities in the quest for perfection. In reality, your sense of being flawed or imperfect may be stemming from self-perception that may highlight only one facet of your personality.
Indeed, you may be completely unaware about how your so-called flaws may offer a sense of wholeness to your persona in the eyes of others. Embracing imperfections by practicing self-acceptance allows you to let go of need to conform to the unrealistic standards you set for yourself, to be free to lead a meaningful life.
3. Take Inspiration From Art…
Letting go of notions of inadequacy or imperfection does not come easy. Which is why we can take inspiration from the art forms around the world, and creators who wished to glorify the transient and erroneous nature of humans. The concept of ‘perfectly imperfect’ has been propagated in cultures across the world, wherein mistakes are deliberately introduced in artistic works.
Turkish carpet weavers leave unidentical patterns in painstakingly handwoven rugs, whereas Indian sculpturers put small dents or slightly misshapen features, all with the belief that true perfection is solely the privilege of the Creator.
4. Focus On Flow State Instead Of Perfection…
We often mistakenly assume that perfection is a prerequisite for fulfillment of goals. Indeed, goals help us move forward, but they shouldn’t serve as impediments that remind us of what we lack. A Harvard Business Review study concluded that while perfectionism can improve performance, it can also result in elevated stress levels and anxiety as perfectionists often latch their self-worth to their ability to perform perfectly.
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5. Surround Yourself With Positive Voices…
The company we keep and the people we interact with can affect our thought processes and decisions, and hence it’s advisable to surround ourselves with positive minded people who truly accept us with our flaws and shortcomings.
Find forums and groups with like-minded individuals, make it a habit to listen to inspiring podcasts, follow bloggers or websites which keep you bustling forward with accountability, without having to resort to the trappings of perfectionism.
6. Use Your Imperfections To Help Others…
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places”, noted Ernest Hemingway, the renowned novelist. Once you realize that brushing your insecurities aside and accepting your true self makes you authentic, you can help others understand this as well. Reveling in your vulnerabilities and continuing to put your best work forward by embracing imperfections can inspire several others who feel impaired by their imperfections.
Our random acts of kindness benefit us as well. Reaching out to others who may be struggling with accepting their flaws and sharing your experience with them will also help reinforce your learnings towards embracing imperfections.
It’s important to understand that your flaws and imperfections make you real.
In Closing…
We’ve all heard… “nobody is perfect”. Well it’s true!
Understanding this is freeing. I’m not saying, don’t try to improve, but know that you’ll never, ever, EVER be perfect in the way you think you should.
Understand your imperfections make you perfect!