You Don't Have to Be Perfect to be Amazing

You Don't Have to Be Perfect to be Amazing

Its 4:40 in the morning and the house is quiet and still. I'm laying in bed in the calm darkness. I start to meditate on my life and how blessed I am to have a loving family, health, and strength.  I meditate on how good God is, and even though we are going through a tough time as a family, He has  opened doors, brought  our family closer together and has guided each of us into new areas of service.   I feel the urgency to rise and write.  I slip out of bed and go into my office.  Sitting silently I look around  and notice one of the affirmations I have on my wall.  It reads, "You don't have to be perfect to be Amazing".   Just them I had an AH -Ha moment.  I've looked at that statement so many times, but this morning it takes on new meaning.

 I've spent a lot of time trying to be perfect.  I needed my appearance to be a certain way, my house to be in order, control and organize everything just right to feel like my life was on track. When everything was not rolling the way I thought it should then I was not a pleasant person to be around.  I worried constantly about money and time.  I held myself to a very high standard, looking back now was really impossible to maintain for very long without making myself and everyone around me miserable.  I'm an expert at beating myself up.  If I  made a mistake, it would take me days to get over it as I would relive the mistake over and over in my mind wondering how I could have made it different.  It took a long time, but I've finally come to realize that perfectionist thinking is a trap, a way to keep a person locked in a cycle of unrealistic expectations.  Its a way to keep a person endlessly and aggressively striving for something that can't be achieved on this side of heaven.  Perfection is a myth. We strive because at the root we want to be loved and accepted.  We want to feel valued.  We want to feel whole. Society paints this instant on, perfection facade that is just filters, smoke and mirrors.  Its like people who pose on Instagram with all of the filters and apps, then when you actually see them, they look nothing like the photo.  Right?  

Sadly, many people are driven to  substance abuse, promiscuity and even  suicide because they can't live up to the pressures of the perfectionist standard. 

Take back your power to be who you are.  Yes, with all your imperfections and scars. See the beauty in them.   Accept that you don't know everything.  The longer you live, you'll realize you don't know anything.  Experience teaches us that we are making mistakes and LEARNING every day.  Its the experience that helps us grow.  When you fall get back up again.  Look at the lesson, learn from it and keep moving.  We gain wisdom and strength with every lesson.  And, hopefully we are sharing what we have learned with others. When the negative voice shows up in your head to speak those perfectionist thoughts, remind it of who you are.  You are created in God's image.  You are not a mistake. You are a wonder.  

Remember, every day is another chance to be all that you are destined to be, if you are willing, obedient and available,   You Don't have to be perfect, to be Amazing!

Until next time,

Blessings and Peace

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)
