Embracing our imperfections

“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together.”- Brené Brown

Recently, I've been doing some deep self-reflection. Especially when I go through new situations that I'm not prepared for, I find the power by searching within myself. The conclusion I have come to is that I am a work in progress and I am accepting this MC. I spend a lot of time thinking about my growth areas and often forget to appreciate who I am today with all my imperfections. Yes, I am not perfect, and that's ok.

You might be wondering what the definition of imperfection is. The Collins Dictionary defines it as "an imperfection in someone or something is a fault, weakness, or undesirable feature that they have."

In this blog post, we will explore the reasons why you should embrace your imperfections and a little bit of my journey accepting my imperfections.

Five reasons to embrace your imperfections
Sharing some of the points that helped me start accepting my imperfect self.

#1: You get tired striving for perfection
The amount of time and resources you spend trying to be perfect in life or at work is a lot. Often, we put in so much effort into perfecting things that are already good enough. Especially when it comes to our skills and abilities, we pressure ourselves to be perfect and waste our energy. Sometimes, I wonder how much effort I would have saved if I did things to my best ability and then took a break instead of exerting more energy to make things perfect.
MC's Tip: Know when you have invested enough energy in a cause, then rest and move on to the next thing

#2: Your imperfect traits make you human
When we deal with other people who are not perfect like us, showing and accepting our imperfection makes them feel more comfortable around us. There is something about accepting people for who they are and supporting them in areas where we may be stronger.
MC's Tip: Show empathy for other people who are not perfect - like you.

#3: You become your authentic self
Imagine if you started accepting your whole self and being comfortable with who you are. We spend a lot of time trying to live up to other people's standards of perfection, and we forget to be ourselves. Being unique is a gift. No one can do what you are on this earth to do.
MC's Tip: Practice self-acceptance and be your true self.

#4: You can achieve more
Being a perfectionist hinders you from knowing when it is time to wrap a task up and move on to the next great thing. Instead of spending all your time on perfecting something that is good enough, think about the value of being able to achieve results in different areas. Being perfect in one area and neglecting other areas is not where you want to be.
MC's Tip: Celebrate your wins - you are achieving a lot despite your imperfection

#5: You will be happier
Accepting who you are with your imperfections, celebrating your imperfect results and showing empathy for others has one significant side effect - you are happier. Striving for perfection sometimes robs you of the feeling of gratitude for what you have achieved and who you are.
MC's Tip: Celebrate where you are on your journey, even if you're not completely where you want to be.

MC's Journey
Accepting my imperfections has been a long journey for me. I spent a lot of time wishing I could change and not be the way I am. Especially in my childhood, being compared to others made me feel like there was something wrong with me that needed to be fixed.
At this stage in my life, I have learned that my imperfections make me MC. In the spirit of being vulnerable, I will share my top five imperfections with you

• Hearing or accepting a "No" - I am learning to accept no as a response. It is still frustrating.
• Being patient and waiting - especially when I feel stuck, this can be very frustrating.
• Lacking visibility into the whole process - I like to know what I'm doing and have full understanding.
• Being open to hearing opinions that I don't agree with - I'm learning to listen to conflicting opinions and see the other perspective truly.
• Getting over disappointments - I used to mentally beat myself up when things happened that I could have avoided. Now, I'm getting better at accepting it, identifying my lessons learned and moving on.

Sharing my imperfections would have scared me before. These days I want people to know the real me. I am not perfect, but I have good intentions, and I want to make the world a better place.

Final Thoughts

• We are taught from an early age to be the best and strive for perfection - it's time to break the cycle.
• You are who you are meant to be- be your authentic self and not someone else.
• Strive to be the best you!

Call to Action
What are your imperfections? Identify them.
How are you going to start embracing them? Plan action.

Great Resources

• How to Be Your Best Self? Embrace Your Imperfection
• This Is How To Embrace Your Imperfections And Claim Your True Worth
• Perfectionists, Think About When You’ve Succeeded Imperfectly
• How to Escape Perfectionism
• Perfection Is Overrated—Here's What You Need to Be Striving for Instead
• How to Stop Perfectionism From Running Your Life