I want to talk a little bit about perfection today. I can’t scroll through Instagram or Facebook without seeing other people who seem to have it all together. You know what I’m on about. That person with a perfect life, or the perfect marriage, or the perfect body two weeks after giving birth. We all see it all the time! We are becoming obsessed this this idea of perfection that none of us will ever be able to achieve.
Too many people are trying to show the world that they have it all together when none of us really do. The problem is these false lives and expectations keep us from taking realistic action to better ourselves and from living in the moment today. I have met countless people who have become depressed by what they see on social media. We wonder “why can’t that be me?” or “my life will never look like that”. We often get discouraged by what we see on a screen when in reality we can take real action to better ourselves rather than giving up before we have even begun to try. I have this belief that we can be perfect while being our imperfect selves. Let me explain.
This moment will never exist again, ever. Think about that for a second. This day, this trial you are going through, this moment of bliss, this moment of discouragement, whatever you are experiencing right now in this moment… it’s just that. One moment. The person you are right now will never exist again. What you are experiencing right now in this exact second will never happen or exist again. We need to grasp these moments and allow ourselves to experience them fully, regardless of what they are. I know that I personally have had moments I have completely missed out on because I was either disconnected or looking forward to “the next big thing” and that’s such a shame! Many of us are missing out daily because we are comparing ourselves to masks that don’t even really exist or because we are looking to an unrealistic future. There is nothing wrong with wanting to better ourselves, but we also need to enjoy our victories, discoveries, and accomplishments along the way. We need to find joy in the journey.
We all struggle to see our self-worth in the mirror. We constantly judge ourselves for what we didn’t do, what we did do, or where we fall short every day. I say, ENOUGH ALREADY!! We are all so incredibly different and complex as humans. You are rare. You are unique. What you are feeling and experiencing right now will be different tomorrow, a week from now, or even years from now. This version of yourself will never exist again. Isn’t that a crazy thought? Allow yourself to be different. Embrace your flaws while trying still trying to better yourself every day. Allow yourself to rejoice in how far you have come and in who you are right now while also allowing yourself to take realistic steps to become better each day.
It’s okay to have this idea of who you want to be, who you want to become, and what you want to excel at in life. This need and desire to be better is inside each of us and striving for more is important for our progression and feeling fulfilled in life. But make sure your goals are realistic and achievable. Keep your mindset on learning and progressing. If you fail today, that’s okay. Remember that you are in good company and some of the best and most (if not all) successful people to walk this earth have failed. Learn from yourself and your experiences and keep going. If you are always overly focused on perfection instead of progress, you will rob yourself from the very thing you are trying to become.
Diamonds are some of the most valuable and beautiful things the world has to offer. But think about how that diamond is made. It was an ugly piece of coal for years. It was put under immense pressure that perhaps could have crushed and damaged it. But after years of extreme pressure and being in complete darkness, it becomes beautiful and valuable. I’m sure some of you have heard this analogy before but I want you to really think about this for a minute. You have the potential to become that diamond. Right now, you might feel like a plain old piece of coal but I want you to fully embrace it. Every step of the way you are becoming something different, something more. But if you don’t learn to enjoy the moment you are in right now, you will never appreciate when you become that diamond, nor will you ever have the opportunity to actually become that diamond.
You are unique. Scientifically no one has the exact same DNA as you. No one has the exact same experiences that you have in life. No one has come from the exact same background, or family, or community as you grew up in. You. Are. Special. You might be a little bit broken or flawed, or maybe you feel like you just aren’t that interesting, but you have a voice and a story that is yours and yours alone. One that will never be replicated or repeated by anyone else! So, embrace the fact that you are different! But never forget that who you are is rare and valuable. Learn from your shortcomings and allow those to teach you to become something more. Never get so focused on the finish line or the idea of perfection that you forget to find joy in the journey.
I believe that perfection isn’t real in this world. We may think we see it all around us but I am here to tell you that everyone has their shortcomings and that’s okay. It is what make us human. Don’t ever get so caught up in the end goal that you forget to enjoy and learn from the moment you are in right now.
Never get caught up in the “fake news” of perfection that surrounds us daily. This week, I want you to hold your head a little higher. Celebrate this moment you are in right now because it will never be replicated. Rejoice in who you are in this moment right now because this version of you will never exist again. I want you to all look in the mirror this week and find joy in who you have become. Your individual light and your specific infinite power is the most perfect thing in the world. Remember that you are rare, valuable, unique, and so needed in this crazy world we live in.