You’ve heard it said time and again that nobody’s perfect. Yet, countless people berate themselves for being anything but perfection. If you listen to your heart, the Universe may be telling you that it is time to embrace your imperfect life.
Down through the ages, society has placed an unspoken burden on people to be flawless in their appearance and everything they do. Ancient cultures highly regarded perfect beauty and riches beyond comparison. Those who had the “it” factor ruled over those who didn’t have it.
Women were among the most harmed by this unjust thinking. In just about every culture in any era, they had to be impeccably beautiful, perfect wives, and devoted mothers. Any imperfect woman was considered “less than.”
It’s Time to Release Societal Expectations and Accept We Are Imperfect Beings
Consider the hardships and dangerous practices women have endured being the “perfect” lady in the past. In the sixteenth century, noblewomen often used white makeup made of toxic lead to makeup their faces. They also blushed their cheeks with a poisonous mercury compound and used contaminated belladonna drops to make their eyes sparkle.
Victorian women practically crushed their internal organs with cruel corsets to make their waists slimmer.
Unfortunately, perfect standards haven’t changed much in modern times. Some people are still crimping, cutting, dying, starving, and doing anything to conform to Hollywood standards. The media is overflowing with romantic pictures of the perfect family, home, and career. Society compelled males to make their way to the top and gauge their worth by what they own.
Even the wisest folks often get tangled in the false illusion of perfectionism. It’s a toxic mindset that causes adverse reactions in each aspect of your life. According to an article published by the University of Washington School of Medicine, perfectionism can also affect your mental health.
The modern definition of perfection has nothing to do with its original meaning. The word perfect comes from “perficere,” which means complete in Latin. The Latin definition doesn’t mean faultless or doing something without errors.
Six Signs You Should Celebrate Your Imperfect Life
You are the express image of the divine and are “complete” in yourself. Allow yourself to recognize the myth of perfection for the delusion it is. Open your heart to these five ways the Universe is telling you to embrace your limitations for a better life.
1. You Start to Recognize the Need to Accept Your Fallibility
Have you ever met someone and had a gut feeling that they were fake? You listen to them talk and brag about their accomplishments and possessions. They look down their noses at everybody in their façade of perfectionism.
If you don’t want to reflect this attitude, learn to be comfortable in your skin. Everybody has things about themselves that they don’t like. Plus, making mistakes is part of learning and maturation. Give yourself a break and remember that you’re only human.
2. You Start to Change Your Perception of What You Used to Think of as Imperfect
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see a beautifully unique person, or do you focus on flaws? Maybe you’re not happy with the shape of your nose, your hair type, or your eye color. An unfair assessment of yourself may impact you. In the past, you felt too short, too thin, too big, too tall, etc.
You begin to fully realize that what you used to consider flaws are the things that make you beautiful. Embrace those flirty freckles. Or show off your naturally curly locks and wear your style with pride. You may not be an expert in everything, but try your best and enjoy your accomplishments.
3. Your Inner Self Says It Is Time to Let Go of Unrealistic Expectations
Flip through the latest magazine on your coffee table and notice the pictures. They are overflowing with photos of “perfect” people who are all smiles. If you purchase their product or services, the inference is that you’ll be just as perfect as the models you see on Instagram. Or you envy people who have stellar homes, careers, and achievements as you scroll. For instance, home websites feature smiling stars who have no problem with the budget or completion times.
Now, close the magazine and open your eyes to the real world. They don’t tell you that the glamorous model pictures receive airbrush treatments and use altered lights, cameras, and filters. The luxurious homes and manicured gardens only exist in doctored pictures and are impossible to maintain in real life.
Take a deep breath and release society’s unrealistic expectations at your door. How can you enjoy your home if everything is sterile and sealed like a museum? You’ll have a better life when you relax, enjoy your family, and count your many blessings.
4. You Start to Surround Yourself With Positive (But Beautifully Imperfect!) People
Perfectionism is contagious. Moreover, it can affect you before you realize it’s showcasing the imperfect things in your life. It’s also the by-product of a negative attitude. Anything perceived as less than perfect isn’t worth having for some people.
These are folks who are attached to the fake image that society worships. Instead of being grateful for what they have, they gripe and complain. Nothing pleases them, and they always have a bone to pick with others.
When you’re around these negative personalities, it’s hard to smile. They oppress the atmosphere so badly that you feel a bit grumpy. Misery loves company, and they’ll not be happy until they’ve dragged you down.
While you need not be rude and ostracize less than cheerful family and friends, you can limit your contact. Instead, try to surround yourself with people who are happy with their lives and don’t demand perfection. You’ll feel better about yourself, will have less negativity, and more positive energy to share.
5. You Begin to Notice Imperfect Things Everywhere in the World
The Universe presents itself with symmetry and syncope, and you notice stunning patterns in nature. However, you can also see just as many anomalies as regularities. That’s what makes the world and all its creatures unique and beautiful to observe.
Have you ever seen a platypus? These whimsical mammals have the tail of a beaver, the bill of a duck, and lay eggs like a bird. While most things shrink when they’re frozen, water expands. You can probably think of other unique features and oddities of nature.
The Japanese call this state of being perfectly imperfect wabi-sabi. It’s a philosophy that asks you to seek the beauty of bad things and embrace the imperfect life. Wabi represents life’s simplicity, while Sabi represents the fleeting aspect of life.
If the beauty of nature isn’t perfect, then you can’t expect yourself to be perfect either. The bad things in the world work together to form completion, which is the essence of perfection. Your triune being of body, mind, and spirit work in the same way for you to enjoy a better life.
6. Use Your Limitations to Help Others
Being broken is the quintessential human condition. Nobody goes through life preserved in a secured vault like a priceless antique vase, and you should embrace your imperfect nature. People, situations, and even your actions cause fissures and ever-present cracks in your soul. Just because you’re broken doesn’t mean that you cannot restore your joy.
You can mend your broken soul with divine intervention, patience, and self-love. Any of your imperfect characteristics represent the resilience and determination you have. They are battle scars showing that you’re an overcomer and accept yourself as you are.
When you are more compassionate and accepting of yourself, you can reach out to others in the same mindset. You can be a shining example that they needn’t be perfect to be valuable and worthy of love and respect. Soon, you begin to see your limitations more like assets.
Final Thoughts on Embracing the Realization That You Should Wear the Label Imperfect as a Badge of Honor
Life is too short to worry about trying to be perfect. Instead, learn how to use your uniqueness as a tool. You’ll discover that the beauty, talent, and worthiness you longed for were with you the whole time.
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