Not Perfect, And It's Perfectly Okay

“Perfectionism doesn’t make you feel perfect. It makes you feel inadequate.” ~Maria Shriver

Like many of us, I spent a big part of growing up feeling like I wasn’t enough.

You see, despite having lots of interests and passions in my life, and being pretty motivated and focused for most of the time, there always came a point when I stopped enjoying what I was doing. The lightness and joy of creativity got overpowered by struggle and perfectionism.

Comparing ourselves to other people makes us fearful of being who we really are. But when we aren’t us, who are we? Who are we looking for when we try and be anything other than who we really are?

There is only ever going to be one you. Ever. There is only one you that has ever existed in this entire universe. Right now you are absolutely perfect at being you. No one can think like you, create like you, love like you.

That thing you do that you keep hidden? That’s perfectly you. That weird sneeze that you do that makes you feel a little silly? Embrace that like crazy. That’s perfectly you. No one does that but you.

So what would it take for you to throw off the need for acceptance and perfection and just be you—playful, silly, messy, lovable, perfect?

Please, my dear friends, remind yourself that it is perfectly okay not to be perfect.

It is okay you got a bad grade sometimes, that doesn’t define your whole ability. It’s okay you’re not skinny and have bright eyes and don’t fit into size twenty-six size of jeans. It’s okay boys don’t whistle at you (you’re not a dog, are you?!) It’s okay your parents shout at you, they’re trying their best and I don’t think they remember how it feels to be a teenager anyway. It’s okay you feel as though you’ve lost yourself, everybody does from time to time. It’s okay you’re still searching for that missing part of you, we all are. It’s okay to feel alone, but you must often remind yourself that you’re not. You must remind yourself that you are a beautiful individual, a replica of nobody else.

There is no need to be perfect when you have the ability to lean back and appreciate the joy of the moment. To look at the wonderful colors of a sunset, to listen to the marvelous songs the birds are singing and to enjoy the presence of your loved ones and friends.