Embracing Imperfection

Mascari, Brooke. November 15, 2024

Salvador Dali says, “Have no fear of perfection… you’ll never reach it.”

If we think of perfection as something we must always strive for and attain, we will never be content and at peace in life. Each person is perfectly imperfect; we are both Being and Becoming. When we compare ourselves to others or someone else’s purpose, we not only impact our health and well-being, but we stop ourselves from taking our next steps and fully living our unique purpose.

What we perceive as imperfection is an expression of our unique perfection. Embracing our imperfections means accepting who we are, trusting where we are, and then progressing from there.

Wabi-Sabi

Wabi-Sabi can be traced to Zen Buddhism and is an ancient philosophy about life. According to Zen, all things (including ourselves) are impermanent and imperfect and the way to peace and satisfaction in life is through embracing this imperfection. We can see this philosophy reflected in the aesthetics of wabi-sabi: while Western art values perfection, symmetry, and ideal proportions, Japanese aesthetics appreciate the beauty of the imperfect, the impermanent, and the rustic. It derives not from love for flawlessness but from respect for what is passing, fragile, and modest. Wabi-sabi believes that things are always more beautiful when bearing the marks of age and individuality. This philosophy is all about embracing the beauty in nature that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Can you shift your perspective from obsessing over your perceived flaws to appreciating the unique traits that you possess? Can you embrace the beauty of imperfection?

Visualize

Visualize the things in your life that are perfect in their imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness:

-Your favorite mug slightly cracked.

-A well-loved armchair faded from years of use.

-Homemade bread making its own unique shape.

-Leaves falling to the ground during Autumn.

-Your favorite houseshoes, worn into perfect comfort to suit you.

-Wildflowers with their own unique design in a field.

-A beloved rescue pet that is perhaps not the purebred that some prefer.

What do you appreciate about your home? Your surroundings? Your life? What is imperfectly perfect around you right now?

What can you appreciate about yourself? The unique traits that reveal your beautiful authentic self?

Affirm

Perfection is a perception! Make this your affirmation for today, that you are both Being and Becoming; and perfection is only perception.

Take a few moments here to reflect upon these affirmations and truly let them sink in. Allow them to release any comparison, expectation, or pressure you’ve placed upon yourself or others to be a certain way. Allow yourself to be in this moment, breathing slowly and meditating on these truths:

I am Being and Becoming.

Perfection is a perception.

Rest and Trust

Rest silently in the beauty of your imperfection and uniqueness. It is our perceived imperfections that make us authentic, inspiring, and empathetic with others. As Brene Brown states, “Imperfections are not inadequacies. They are reminders that we’re all in this together.”

As you go about your day, notice the beauty of imperfection all around you and take comfort in the ways imperfection, under a different lens, connects us and affirms our authentic selves. Honor yourself for your uniqueness, and rest in the knowing that you’re in the right place at the right time, and everything is unfolding and progressing just how it should.

Namaste

(The Divine in me honors the Divine in you)