Perfection is Boring

Imperfection; that's a scary word. Am I right or am I right? It's scary because it means allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. It's letting friends and loved ones see you without your cutest outfit on with your hair and make up done just right. It's opening the doors of our homes to our friends and family and welcoming them in amidst the mess and chaos instead of a perfectly clean and decorated; Southern Living esq. home.

It's not an easy thing to show our vulnerability and embrace our imperfections but the thing is, it's something we're all struggling with. It's completely normal and when we learn to embrace it rather than try to change it our entire world will be changed. It will be a better place once we all learn to accept that Tuesday night pizza nights, sitting around with our friends and family in sweats are way better than perfectly organized and well prepared dinner parties.




I was reading my Lipstick Gospel Devotional and Stephanie May Wilson talks about messy house friends; the kind you happily invite over to your happy little messy home. The kind you have over for Tuesday night pizza nights; you don't have to worry about how you or your home look to them because they're not there for any of that. They show up in sweat pants and messy buns with a bottle of wine and eyes blind to your (or your home's) appearance because they're there for you. They don't care if your dog is pawing at them or shedding on them and they certainly don't care if your make up is done. Those are the friends I want in my life.

She talks about how true connection with others is one of our greatest needs and the only way to really have that kind of connection is through vulnerability because having people love us because of our pretty home or our cute outfits isn't very soul satisfying. Those are all superficial reasons that make us feel good but shouldn't define our friendships. To be really loved, we have to let people see us for who we really are. All those messy, icky moments; those are what we need to share.

Last year I chose perfection as my word of the year because it was something I struggled with for far too long. I had let my ideas of perfection get in the way of truly enjoying life. I was in a constant frenzy of having to get things done and never allowing myself to be vulnerable and let people in both my heart and my home because it wasn't my idea of perfect. I used to drive myself crazy trying to reach this ideal of perfection that just didn't exist and I know it was hurting my relationships, too. I was often turning down lunch dates with friends and fun things with loved ones because I HAD to stay home and clean my house. I even began to stay on my husband about always putting away his things. I wasn't a fun person and I didn't enjoy trying to live up to this false sense of perfection I had given myself so I chose that word to focus on because it controlled me and I was over it. While i've come a long way in the last year, almost two with that part, i'm learning now about the vulnerability that comes along with it and thanks to Ashley at The Imperfect Boss, i'm also learning how to celebrate my imperfections.

I want a life filled with more impromptu breakfast dates on Saturday mornings with my hubby at our favorite cafe in yoga pants and sweatshirts minus make up and perfectly fixed hair. I want more weeknight pizza dates with friends and more of life's spontaneous, messy moments. I want to share my most vulnerable self and have those soul satisfying friendships so if you're in my life, please know that my house may be messy sometimes and I might not always look the cutest but you have a happy, safe place with me.

Let's learn to love each other deeply and embrace our imperfections together.

What makes you imperfect? Tell me in the comments below.