Are you trying to be the perfect daughter, the perfect mother, the perfect sister, the perfect aunty, the perfect niece, the perfect body, the perfect human?
Perfection is an illusion of control and safety. It leads you to think that once you are perfect, or once everything around you is perfect then you will feel good enough, in control, and protected from pain or disappointment, and everything will be just …well, perfect.
But perfection is a lie.
It’s unachievable, and it requires stuffing down or shoving away anything that is real, messy, and genuine. Perfection requires a smile when really you want to cry; instead you say, “I’m fine” when really you want to say, “I’m falling apart.”
A more mindful life inspired goal is to be PRESENT. In any given moment, being present means you are aware of how you are feeling and what you are needing without judgment in any given moment, and then behaving and responding accordingly.
To be present is to feel good enough, bravely facing each moment and knowing in your heart that you’re doing the best you can. Being present, not perfect, makes space for messy emotions, backwards steps, forward stumbles, and learning curves. Being present is vulnerable…and where the magic really lies.
Take a moment to practice being present by checking in with yourself using the following questions:
– How does your physical body feel?
– How does your emotional body feel?
– What is happening in your life that feels good?
– What is happening in your life that doesn’t feel good?
– What do you need to do or say to address these issues?
When you aim to be present in your life, rather than perfect, you are standing tall in life. It may feel very strange at first, but with practice you can begin to embrace PRESENT over PERFECT!
Lisa xx