We are Perfectly Imperfect.
In my marriage I tried my absolute best to be perfect. I made the perfect lunches, exercised all the time, worked to contribute to the family, blow dried my hair every day, ate only healthy food, said just the right thing at dinner, and had the perfect attitude of calm and acceptance no matter what happened in our marriage and life.
The problem was, that’s not authentic living. Frankly, it’s exhausting. And it doesn’t feel good or right.
What I’ve come to realize is it’s our imperfections where the really good stuff is. It’s where the character lies and the really real conversations are.
When we embrace and share our messy, we embrace what is beautiful and human about ourselves.
And when we share that with each other, we show each other that it’s ok. It’s real. And it’s actually the best part.
One of my besties loves it when I get worked up and passionate about something. This usually results in f-bombs as well as crazy facial expressions and it always makes her cheer for me and laugh. Probably because it’s hilarious to watch, but also because it’s a rare glimpse of that authentic, raw, passionate side of me that I don’t share often.
As my new post divorce life unfolds I promise myself to embrace my imperfections.
From the little: messy hair, leaving cabinets open, never remembering anything, leaving beds unmade, compulsively exercising (yes I think that’s an imperfection actually), planning everything, making list after list that I then lose.
To the big: being critical, (oh Virgo!), being too trusting, overcommitting, being guarded.
The funny thing is, the imperfections are things that I absolutely love in others, but hate about myself.
What I’ve come to see is that the imperfections are part of us and might even be our actual strengths in ways.
I plan to embrace them fully and allow myself to be content with the perfectly imperfect. It’s a work in progress: remember, I’m not perfect!