Have you been on a quest for perfection? How are the results so far? If you haven't been happy about it or have more down moments than highs, more disappointments than accomplishments, then maybe it's time for a "perfectionism rehab."
There's nothing wrong about wanting to give your best, do your best, and achieve the best. What becomes problematic is when, in spite of all your efforts, you feel inadequate. You feel short of your role. You feel unworthy.
Keep in mind that it's okay to be imperfect! Everyone is imperfect. Even the most perfect person you can think of has flaws. It's time to stop beating yourself up, accept your flaws for what they are, and embrace your imperfections.
Here's why imperfection is important.
Imperfection Makes You Stand Out
When you think about perfection, you tend to think that everything should be ‘just so.' You expect to have everything according to social standards, people's judgment, and whatever other criteria you can apply. However, if that was the case, you would be largely bland and uninteresting.
On the contrary, it's the imperfections that make you stand out and set you apart from the norm. It's your perceived ‘flaws' that make you interesting and attract people to your uniqueness. Perfection makes you boring. Because you have all that's expected, what more could there be?
Imperfection Pushes You Forward
Being a perfectionist can hold you back, hugely. You go over and over that thing that you're working on, and you don't let it go until you are satisfied that you have covered everything. While it's good to aspire to be excellent, wanting something to be perfect can prevent you from ever releasing anything you've created. By the time you think you've got it, it may already be too late. The opportunity has passed.
Imperfection, meanwhile, is what pushes you forward. You're not afraid to go out there, share your creations, and take risks. Because you accept that it's normal to make mistakes, it propels you to improve yourself. Do it, and be prepared to modify and refine as you go. Mistakes provide you with valuable lessons. Mistakes provide you with valuable lessons.
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Imperfection Makes You Human and Draws People to You
Who would you rather talk to – someone who seems to have everything or someone who's been through a similar situation who would understand you and your personal struggles?
Imperfection humanizes a person and makes them relatable to other people. Rather than driving people away from you because you are flawed, it actually gravitates them to you. They can relate to what you've been through. They may share the same story that you have, which is why they naturally want to connect with you.
Imperfection makes you vulnerable too, and in a good sense. When you allow yourself to appear vulnerable, people can relate to you, and that helps you create bonds and build stronger relationships. You are human, after all, someone who would need help from the people that surround you. In this way, you make them feel more valuable and worthy too.
Imperfection Creates Authentic Beauty
Nothing beats authentic beauty, and that also comes from your imperfections. Your flaws make you real, and as a result, it makes you beautiful. Your imperfections also create beauty in your life, for yourself and others.
If you are not making any mistakes, there's no lesson to look back on, there's nothing to laugh about years later, there's nothing to reminisce that will make you feel proud of how far you've come. Therefore, instead of hiding your flaws, or hiding from them, embrace them. Don't dwell on them, but draw inspiration and motivation from that so that you can move forward and work on your self-improvement.
Don't be afraid to admit that you make mistakes. That's what makes you authentically beautiful in the eyes of many people, who would be able to look at you as someone they can learn from and grow with.
Perfection is unattainable, uninteresting, lonely, and a futile effort to fit into the mold of social standards. On the contrary, it is the imperfections that make life more interesting, fun, fulfilling, and inspiring.
When you learn to accept that you are flawed, and that doesn't have to be a bad thing, you have a better sense of self-worth, you feel more in control, and you are more inclined to draw strengths from what you think are your weaknesses. Don't be too hard on yourself because you are beautiful just the way you are.
"You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful."
- Amy Bloom
