July's Quote of the Month from a guest speaker who came in to one of my classes.
"The more perfectionism I let creep into my life, the less courage I have to fail and try. But the minute you give something away is the minute you decide it doesn't have power over you. When I step into not being perfect, failure no longer defines me." - Kaylee Monson
Last year I took an arts class in which we had to determine our own philosophies of art. In order to inspire us, the teachers would invite guest speakers to share what they believed and experienced in regards to art. Kaylee Monson shared this nugget of wisdom with my class, and I think there's so much wisdom within it.
Why Does This Quote Matter?
As a perfectionist, I too have struggled with letting it take over certain aspects of my life. We live in a society that pushes for perfection, it tells us "if you're not the best, then you're not enough." First of all, this is so far from the truth (you are MORE than enough). Second, the pursuit of perfection is all-consuming.
When we let go of the need to be perfect, two things happen: 1) there is room to grow 2) there is room to fail. Failure oftentimes leads to personal growth, and growth leads to betterment of oneself. You see, perfectionism lessens our ability to truly better ourselves.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't have goals—you should, they push you. What it means is that you need to practice being okay with coming up short, with not quite reaching your goals. It's okay not to be perfect! Remember: your imperfection doesn't define you, it simply grows you.
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