Did the title of this article create a negative emotion within you? Did you shake your head, snort in disbelief, or say something “rude” in response?
Does the term “perfectly imperfect” bring up a past uncomfortable experience? Did it remind you of a time when you made a mistake?
Do you trust yourself to do the right thing, choose the right words, and frequently make the right decisions? No? That may be a tell-tale sign of a lack of self-trust.
A big reason why you don’t trust yourself, and why you may feel it’s a dreadful thing to make mistakes, is that you are afraid to make mistakes.
It’s a common situation for many people. While we may give others the benefit of the doubt and encourage our friends, family, and co-workers to “cut themselves some slack” when they make mistakes, can you say that you do the same for yourself?
Being afraid to make mistakes could be holding you back on your journey toward success. When you learn to make mistakes, and NOT to hold your mistakes against yourself, you will be ready to start trusting yourself.
You may have heard people say that “nobody is perfect.” You should make it a rule to live by because it’s a true statement. When you make mistakes, the best outcome is that you learn from them. That is what makes them so valuable.
Analyze and Evaluate
Of course, if you don’t learn from your mistakes – you’ve heard the old saying – you will be doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again.
That is why you must do a post-mortem analysis of your actions and evaluate where you made your mistakes – daily if needed. It’s a perfect activity to include in your personal journal.
If you try too hard to avoid mistakes, you can become paralyzed with fear and never act. The alternative? You force actions without thought, and you end up making more mistakes. That is because no one is perfect. You simply cannot avoid mistakes, and you shouldn’t make that your focus.
Defusing Other People’s Anger about Mistakes
Sometimes, the mistakes that you make will make people angry with you. It’s a part of living a perfectly imperfect human life.
If this happens, you first must determine if your mistakes profoundly affected those people. They have no right to call you out on them if they didn’t. If it turns out that your actions did affect them – and remember, we’re talking about a profound effect – one that is very great or intense – do what you can to rectify the situation. A simple, authentic apology may be all that is needed.
Sometimes, people just want it acknowledged that they experienced a negative effect because of someone’s actions – inadvertently or on purpose.
Just as you would like others to forgive you when you make mistakes, be forgiving of others when they make mistakes, and it affects you. It’s unfair to expect others to forgive you if you aren’t willing to do the same.
Remember also that you must extend forgiveness to yourself as well.
It’s okay to get angry in certain situations – at yourself or at someone else. But, open your heart and let them (you) make amends.
Once you accept that mistakes will happen, you will find it a freeing experience. You will no longer need to put intense and uncomfortable pressure on yourself to avoid them.
Another factor to consider is that mistakes can lead to positive unintended circumstances.
Just look at sticky notes by 3M. The researchers at the company set out to create a strong adhesive that resulted in a weak one. Someone at the company took the idea and used it to create the sticky notes product.
There have been many instances of mistakes that lead to alternative solutions. This would not have happened if they had tried so hard to avoid the mistakes that they never tried that unproven or new process.
Permit yourself to make mistakes, which will help you to trust yourself, and when you increase your level of self-trust, you’ll free yourself to step out of your comfort zone and make it easier to celebrate being your perfectly imperfect human self.
Journaling Prompts for Embracing Your Perfectly Imperfect Self
- What’s a recent mistake or imperfection you’ve encountered in your life? Write about it in detail, acknowledging your feelings and thoughts at the time.
- Reflect on what you learned from that mistake. How did it contribute to your personal development? Did it teach you something valuable?
- Imagine sharing your mistake with a friend or loved one. How would you describe it to them? How would you want them to respond?
- Think about a role model or someone you admire. Have they ever talked about their own imperfections or mistakes? How did their openness inspire you?
- Write a letter to your future self, acknowledging that you are perfectly imperfect. What advice would you give yourself for handling mistakes and leaning into greater self-acceptance in the future?
Journaling is like having a heartfelt conversation with yourself, a sacred space where you can embrace your beautifully imperfect journey. It’s a powerful tool to nurture self-acceptance and self-love.
Each entry is a step toward understanding, forgiving, and celebrating the remarkable person you’ve become. Embrace the blank page as your canvas, and with each word, you’ll paint a portrait of your unique story, filled with wisdom, resilience, and the beauty of imperfection. Keep journaling and keep shining! ????????✨
