Embracing Imperfection

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not doing this newsletter perfectly. When you don’t hear from me, it’s either because I’m absorbed in family life or because I’m lacking clarity on my message to you. Either way, it leads me to writing sporadically instead of being consistent with my timing like I’d prefer. Sometimes the fact that I can’t do this perfectly makes me not want to do it at all. And yet, there’s something deeper that urges me to continue. Maybe something I say will help someone. Maybe a story I share will make a difference in someone’s life. And so I keep going, imperfectly. Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever felt that if you can’t do something perfectly, you don’t want to do it at all? Maybe you’ve set your goals, resolutions or intentions and feel great about where you’re headed, and then soon afterwards find yourself right back where you started. Maybe it’s a diet you stop because you cheat once. Maybe it’s an exercise plan that you stop because you miss one day. Maybe you don’t start decluttering because you don’t have time to purge your entire house the Marie Kondo way. Maybe it’s a goal you put on hold because something doesn’t go your way. Instead of getting caught up in perfectionism – wanting to do it perfectly or not at all, what if we were able to be gentle with ourselves? What if we were able to realize that imperfect is just “the way of it”? I’m not going to lie. January has been a bit rough for me. As I was focused on moving toward a new mode of being, I found myself in old patterns throughout the month. Outdated beliefs, negative emotions and some critical self-talk all worked their way into my days. There was part of me that wanted to throw my intentions out the window and say, “Never mind! I can’t do this!” What I learned this month is that this is a common scenario. When you’re attempting to reach a new level for yourself, it is very likely that your old patterns will come up, often with intensity and in a way you haven’t experienced before. If you have also had this experience, I’m asking you to try something new. Instead of beating yourself up or giving up altogether, I’m inviting you to join me in embracing imperfection. Let’s recognize that challenges happen, imperfection is “the way of it”, and old patterns will continue to show up. We’re not going to do things perfectly. And yet, we can listen to that deeper part of ourselves, urging us to keep going, imperfectly. The truth is that what we’re working towards matters. The world needs us to align with our highest selves and allow our goodness to emerge in whatever way feels right to us. The better we become for ourselves, the more power we have to affect our loved ones, our bodies and our world. So feel free to recommit to yourself and restart as many times as you need. Remember to be gentle with yourself as you move forward imperfectly. I’ll be right there with you. Love and light,

Mendy