3 Strategies To Embrace Your Imperfections

Brené Brown says this of life, “Uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure are not optional.”

It’s part of life to get things wrong; to make mistakes; to take risks and not know what the outcome will be.

Life is all the richer when you are exposed to other people – in your most honest, human form – and for them to see you for who you really are.

With this level of truth and vulnerability, you gain and so do they.

Life Has Two Sides

Think of it like this: life has two sides to it: on one side you have The Joys and on the other, The Sorrows.

Within the joyful side…

Sit all the amazing things that happen to you.

Here you feel the highs of life; the accomplishments; the positive life-changing events; the belly laughs.

Here, you enjoy deep connections with other people and relish rich new experiences.

On the opposite sorrowful side there is grief, disappointment, frustration and loss. Here, you make mistakes, upset others and get hurt yourself too.

 

 

Why Chasing Perfection Will Make You Unhappy

Living a life where you chase perfection, you are trying too hard to fill your life only with joyful experiences and in so doing, make all attempts to reject any pain or discomfort.

To do this is not only unrealistic but it also numbs your breadth of feeling, experience and life.

Arguably to fully appreciate the highs of life, you must also experience their polar opposite.

Success feels even sweeter once you have also tasted disappointment and sorrow.

In fact, you even feel grateful to have felt those pains as that experience will help you taste just how sweet victory really is.

Why Avoiding Disappointment is Damaging

Trying to avoid imperfection and disappointment is not only impossible, it is wholly exhausting.

True strength and courage come from accepting – and welcoming – both sides of your human nature as being equal parts of you.

Want to know how?

 

Here Are A Few Ideas To Get You Started:

You’re A Beautiful Work in Progress

‘Perfection’ by definition is about being a “completely finished product” which makes it a future based notion: you’re forever chasing that future ideal.

The whole concept – and joy – of ‘being’ (which means existing in the present moment) is that you are forever learning, forever evolving, forever strengthening.

You are a “BWIP”: a Beautiful Work In Progress living here in this very moment. Right here. Right now. Take the time to enjoy it.

 

 

Rebecca Allen, COI of Illuminate Personal Growth, works with professional women to help them take their careers to the next level. If you are feeling underwhelmed by your lack of career progress, looking for support and encouragement and keen to learn new skills to improve your prospects, then you’re in the right place. We provide online career courses, courses for women, live workshops and leadership trainings in Sydney as well as 1-1 executive coaching. Get in touch!

All content is copyrighted. Should you wish to copy the whole or part of this article you must request this and wait to receive approval in writing.