{31 Days of Living Simply} Day 21 ~ The Enemy of Simplicity

Ring the bells that still can ring.  Forget your perfect offering.  There is a crack in everything,  That’s how the light gets in.
~Leonard Cohen

That thing that tells us we’re not good enough as we are. That thing that tells us to do just a little bit more. That thing that tells us we should be spending more time polishing than playing. That thing that tells us that everyone else has it better than we do. That thing that triggers self-doubt. That thing that holds us back from being in the moments that matter.

Perfection.

I know it’s not as easy as “let it go”.

It won’t just come in an instant.

But try this…

: the next time the house isn’t perfect and someone calls to see if they can stop by, say yes. And quit apologizing.

: the next time you think it’s funnier to put yourself down than to graciously accept a compliment, know that it’s not.

: the next time you want to try something new but are afraid because you might not do it well, just do it.

: the next time you think your hair is too frizzy, you are too clumsy, you don’t want to serve the burned grilled cheese…(oh, wait? are those just me?)…get over it.

For so long, I was afraid to let others in when things were not great, perfect. The worst thing about this is that I actually believed that others might have actually thought I was perfect to begin with. They didn’t. They don’t. They just love me despite my mistakes and my flaws.

Realizing this can be freeing.

I think of all the moments I have been held back from because I am afraid to experience something just because I might not be good at it or do it right. Afraid to try something new. Afraid to invite someone over. This is not who I want to be.

I think of the joy of laughing at bad hair days and burned sandwiches, and the beauty of a lived in home.  Suddenly the imperfections aren’t so bad. They are part of the beauty of life, the threads that bring us together, the things that can make us laugh and make brighter a world that can sometimes feel too serious.

More on imperfection:
: Perfectly Imperfect
: Perfect Vs. Good
: Perfectionism: Learn More About Yourself
: For When You Don’t Feel Graceful

Visit the other 31 Days Series:

Chatting at the Sky, Nesting Place, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, My First Kitchen, Life With My 3 Boybarians, Reluctant Entertainer, The Inspired Room