We live in a world that glorifies perfection. We see perfect bodies, faces, and lives on social media and television. This constant exposure to an unattainable standard can make us feel inadequate and insecure about our flaws and mistakes. Let’s discuss five ways to embrace imperfection in life and show you how to turn them into assets.
Striving for perfection is exhausting when the standards are constantly changing. In a world that values perfection, it’s easy to feel inadequate or unworthy. But what if we reframed our perspective on imperfection? What if we learned to embrace imperfections and flaws and see them as opportunities for growth and self-improvement?
Learning How to Embrace Imperfection
Beauty is subjective. Life is full of variations and inconsistencies. However, what we label and value as beautiful is often programmed by the cultural narrative.
There is always a battle over who can control the trajectory of values. Some see this battle as right against left, liberal versus conservative.
Who controls the programming? The advertising industry, politics, and organized religion control the cultural narrative. They are the sources of propaganda and negative programming. The things they promote become the standards of appearance and behavior.
“If I wait until I become perfect before I love myself, I will waste my whole life. I am already perfect right here and right now. I am perfect exactly as I am.” ― Louise Hay
Perfectionism is the unhealthy quest to attain an arbitrary standard. (1) When you are on this treadmill, you never reach the goal; if you do, you lose it. It prevents you from seeing how wonderful you are. It stifles happiness because you know it won’t last even when you reach it. Popular culture does not see people as beautiful and perfectly flawed. If you are viewed as flawed, you must buy more of the products they sell.
Five Ways To Embrace Imperfection in Life
Learning to embrace our imperfections and flaws is a journey. It takes courage, self-awareness, and self-compassion. We must rise above the need for approval and validation from others. It’s not about denial but acknowledging our mistakes and failures as part of life. Errors are a part of the learning process. They lead us to invaluable lessons and experiences.
Here are some key ideas to keep in mind when learning to embrace imperfections and flaws:
1. Acknowledge and Embrace Imperfections
“I, myself, am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.” ― Augusten Burroughs
If we face failures and flaws, we can learn from them and how to leverage them. Let go of the need to be perfect as defined by a sick culture. Trying to be perfect on their terms is unrealistic and unsustainable.
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. We have lost it, or we have never had it, and because we do not know how to judge anything, we have been led here and pushed there, beaten up, driven, politically, religiously, and socially. We don’t know, but it is difficult to say we don’t know.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti
Instead, prioritize progress over perfection and focus on the small wins that lead to bigger ones. What is perfect for you is your personal best, which is different from society’s unattainable perfectionistic standards.
Now, you begin to see why you may not feel you have value. How can we regain a more healthy perspective of our self-worth? Is it possible to believe we are already perfect? Perfectionism is the enemy of our personal best. (2)
The problem is that we are bombarded by cultural folklore propaganda that overrides our self-worth. If you don’t fit the mold of the culture, then you are devalued. So, people strive to meet the standards of appearance and behavior by purchasing what the culture tells them they need. It doesn’t help; it just makes other people wealthy.
Sages, psychologists, and freethinkers tell us to reject popular culture. This is because it is driven by commercialism and sectarian ideology. These philosophies turn our uniqueness into negative aspects to sell us stuff. This negativity sells everything from soap to religion.
Here’s the truth: we are perfectly imperfect, and that’s what makes us human. To embrace imperfections and flaws is to take charge of our future. These institutions don’t want us to take back control of our values and beliefs; they want to dictate what we should believe.
The first thing you must do to leverage your faults is to accept them. It’s the first of the five ways to embrace imperfection in life. You must do this before you can do anything else.
2. You Are Beautiful and Perfectly Flawed
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” ― Margaret Wolfe Hungerford
Your flaws and quirks make you unique. They are a part of your identity. We must learn to accept who we are and take pride in our individuality. Everyone has flaws and imperfections. Those considered beautiful, intelligent, genius, talented, exceptional, or extraordinary are flawed. They learn to leverage them.
Those at the top of their profession are celebrated for reaching a level of excellence. But, it does not last; it is temporary. Name any famous sports figure, and you see success and failure. In many cases, their losses make us admire them all the more because we can relate to their struggles.
“Who you are, in truth, who everyone is, is whole and perfect and beautiful. And if that can be recognized, then it is possible that self-torture can stop!” ― Gangaji
Everyone eventually uncovers some deficiency, fault, or blemish. Sorry to say it, but our bodies are all designed to end in total system failure. But perhaps this is another lesson in the experiment of living.
So, we are all beautiful and perfectly flawed. That’s part of our design.
3. Life is About Lessons
Treat yourself with kindness, understanding, and forgiveness. Remember that you are human and that making mistakes is a natural part of life. Learn from your mistakes —Don’t beat yourself up for making mistakes or failing. Instead, use them as opportunities to learn, grow, and improve. Being kind to ourselves is crucial when it comes to embracing imperfection.
We all have flaws and make mistakes, but we don’t have to beat ourselves up for them. Instead, we should practice self-compassion and grant ourselves the same kindness we would offer others. Recognizing our humanity and shortcomings will create a sense of empathy for ourselves.
Compassion turns the error or imperfection into a lesson. When we learn the lesson, we can leverage this knowledge and make it an asset instead of a liability. This is one of the five ways to embrace imperfection in life that is a powerful game-changer. We no longer hide or try to conceal our uniqueness; we leverage it.
4. Challenge and Confront Your Inner Critic
We all have that annoying inner voice that tells us we’re not good enough, smart enough, or attractive enough. The list of deficiencies goes on and on. We call that voice our inner critic, and while it may seem like it’s there to protect us, it can hold us back from achieving our full potential. But fear not! Here are some clever ways to challenge your inner critic and start believing in yourself:
Observe thoughts without judgment:
The best way to do this is to write your thoughts for five minutes. Start with a subject, like what matters to you the most or what you fear the most. You don’t have to write verbatim, just the main points. Your inner critic will want you to attach values and judgments to your thoughts. But you can learn to resist the urge to connect emotions or judgments to your thoughts. Appraise them in the light of logic and reason. Do your values make sense? Do they harm others?
Get clear on your values:
The next step is to clarify your values. Take some time to reflect on what matters most to you in life. Write them down and use them as a guiding light when your inner critic makes you doubt yourself. Reminding yourself of your values and purpose can help you stay grounded and focused on your goals.
Ask your inner critic for evidence:
When your inner critic starts criticizing you, ask it to provide evidence to support its claims. Most of the time, you’ll find no evidence, and the negative thoughts are untrue.
Practice self-compassion:
Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would give to a loved one. Be patient with yourself, and remember that everyone makes mistakes. It’s all part of learning to acknowledge and embrace imperfections and flaws.
Surround yourself with positivity:
Surrounding yourself with positive people and uplifting messages can help drown out your inner critic. Read books that inspire positive thinking. Listen to motivational podcasts, and spend time with people who support and encourage you.
Take action:
The best way to silence your inner critic is to take action and prove it wrong. Taking action will help you gain confidence and silence negative self-talk. Remember, your inner critic only has power over you if you let it. You can overcome your doubts and achieve greatness by challenging them and practicing self-love.
Many times, our imperfections are magnified by a distorted self-image. These distortions come from our inner critic, who can be harsh and unrelenting. However, we don’t have to believe every negative thought that comes to our mind.
We must learn to monitor or observe our thinking. When you are in a downward spiral of self-doubt, stop and ask yourself, “Is this really true?” or “What is the evidence for this thought?” By challenging your thoughts, you can interrupt negative self-talk. Then, you can reprogram with positive scripts and gain a more balanced perspective on yourself.
5. Take Calculated Risks
Some of the most successful people in history have made plenty of mistakes on their journey toward success. Instead of fearing failure, they embraced mistakes as opportunities to learn, grow, and reach their objective. When you take calculated risks, you challenge yourself to push past your comfort zone and move toward new experiences.
Notice I said “calculated risks,” not unnecessary or foolish risks. Assessing risk can be tricky business, and often, people may shy away from taking risks in life due to fear of failure or the unknown. However, taking calculated risks can lead to great rewards and personal growth. Here are some tips on assessing and approaching risk to make informed decisions and take calculated risks in life.
It’s not as hard as you think. You likely follow an unscripted process to weigh the benefits and the risks. Here’s the script as a reminder.
First, identify the possible outcomes:
Before taking a risk, it’s important to assess the possible outcomes. If it’s a decision with a lot at stake, take some time to list all the potential positive and negative consequences. What’s the best-case scenario? What’s the worst-case scenario? Assessing the potential possibilities can help you create a plan to mitigate risks and ensure a positive outcome.
Second, evaluate your risk tolerance:
Your risk tolerance is an important factor when assessing risk. Understanding your risk tolerance can help you better determine the level of risk you are willing to take.
Third, do research:
Research is key to risk assessment. Before making any decisions, gather as much information as possible in the time available.
Fourth, take action:
If you decide the reward is worth the risk, create a plan or take action. Set goals and objectives and develop concrete steps toward achieving those goals. A plan can help mitigate risks and ensure a positive outcome. Many people get this far and stall out. They know they should take action but let fear override their decision.
Fifth, learn from your mistakes:
Taking risks may inevitably lead to failure at some point. Rather than seeing failure as a setback, use it as a learning experience. Assess what went wrong and how you can do things differently in the future.
When you evaluate risk tolerance, research, and learn from mistakes, you can create a plan and make informed decisions. Remember, taking risks can open up opportunities and lead to personal growth, so don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and take a chance.
Recap Learning to Embrace Imperfections and Flaws
So, don’t let the pursuit of perfection hold you back. Use these five ways to embrace imperfection in life. They can help propel you toward greater happiness, personal growth, and self-acceptance.
Remember, “perfectly imperfect” is an identity worth owning and celebrating! Embracing imperfection can be challenging but rewarding. We must let go of our need for perfection and recognize our unique qualities and strengths.
We must learn to practice self-compassion, challenge our thoughts, and embrace our uniqueness. By taking calculated risks, we can build our confidence and learn to love ourselves and our imperfections. So, let’s start embracing our imperfections today. Celebrate the beautiful and perfectly flawed individuals we truly are.
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References
(1) Your Best Life: Perfectionism—The Bane of Happiness. National Library of Medicine.
(2) Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. The National Library of Medicine.