Break Free From Perfection

We are often so caught up in our search for perfection that it can be difficult to break free and become our authentic selves. We let shame and fear of judgment run our parts of our lives and we do not even realize that it is happening. Do you stay home from an event because you have nothing to wear? Go buy something new that makes you feel confident. Are you not going to the pool for fear of someone judging your body? Wear that swimsuit proud and know that its their problem if they see something they don't like. Afraid to have someone into your house because it doesn't look like a show home... trust me, they care less then you think. We spend so much time trying to fit into the image of perfection that we have created for ourselves, that we begin to feel false, frustrated and dishonest. To cope, we hide behind a mask of social conformity and judge others according to our idea of perfection. But there is a way out of this cycle.
 
The Fear Behind Perfectionism
Death is not our biggest fear; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be fully alive and fully ourselves. People are often more afraid of public speaking then they are of death. Why you might ask? It is the fear of being seen, of being judged. We try so hard to meet everyone’s expectations by creating an image of perfection that we think we should live up too, but this image is not real, and no matter how hard we try, we will never meet the standard of “perfection” that has been set before us. When this happens, it can cause us to reject ourselves because we do not match our own expectations. By trying so desperately to create an ideal version of ourselves, all we end up doing is creating more pain and suffering than necessary.
 
 Breaking away from your mask of perfection will allow you to step into your true power - living authentically with courage and confidence. It’s time for us all recognize the beauty within each one of us regardless if it does or does not match someone else's idea of “perfection." This process starts when you let go by being kinder towards yourself, finding self-compassion, treating yourself as your best friend, allowing yourself grace during mistakes instead of beating yourself up over them! Letting go also means acknowledging your fears instead of running away from them or pretending they don't exist. You must accept them as part of who you are in order to move forward with a life that is being fully lived.
 
When you make the decision to start living authentically with courage and confidence, you will find freedom in knowing that being imperfect is perfectly okay - because nobody can ever reach the unattainable goal or standard set by society anyway! Focus on being content with who you are – flaws included! This will lead you on a journey towards self-discovery where you find acceptance within yourself rather than searching outside yourself for approval from others or something else entirely. It’s ultimately about discovering what brings YOU joy rather than trying desperately adhering to a certain lifestyle or belief system.
 
Release the fear of judgement and banish perfectionism through little steps, you can start by doing something that scares you just a little bit. Wear a bathing suit, go to a yoga class, attend a women's circle, go live on Facebook, start a new hobby, there is so much freedom in stepping into who you are and what you are becoming! There is so much more to you then the idea of the "perfect" you, let your unique light shine through and those who are meant to see it, will see it.

For more information about self compassion I recommend visiting Kristin Neff's website www.self-compassion.org 
This post was inspired by a book I read called "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz, I highly recommend reading it.