Present Over Perfect

It’s the name of one of my favorite books and one of my life mottos since I read it a few years ago. If you feel like you are holding high standards for yourself and others that burden your life, I highly recommend you to read it too.

For years I believed perfection was a positive attribute and I was proud to be called a perfectionist. Until I realized perfection doesn’t exist. It is an allusion. It’s an attainable goal.

Behind perfection stands much more than the pursuit of excellence and motivation, achievement, and growth. Behind perfection there are usually limiting beliefs and fear of being not good enough, being rejected, feeling unworthy.

The desire to be perfect is a result of a sense of inadequacy. And the standards of perfection are unreachably high today with social media feeds, blogs, and magazines overflowing with perfect bodies, family images, luxurious lifestyles, and moments.

Without realizing it, we go after all of this and it feels like we are running in circles. It feels there is always more to achieve - one more pound to lose, one more class to attend, one more botox injection to get, one more trip to Hawaii to have... and then I will be beautiful enough, skinny enough, lovable enough, happy enough...

But the truth is, this ideal is far from reality. Life is not about achieving perfection—it’s about embracing the present, with all its imperfections. Life is messy, it’s unpredictable, and it’s often far from perfect. But it’s also magical, rich with moments that can’t be planned, controlled, or curated to fit into some perfect box. The pressure to constantly chase perfection robs us of the joy that can only be found in real, authentic moments. Perfection, in fact, is an infection—a misplaced goal that keeps us stuck in an endless cycle of dissatisfaction, restlessness, and insecurity. It creates unhealthy competition and a constant comparison to others, all of which erode our peace of mind.

So how do we break free from this cycle? How do we shift our focus from a relentless pursuit of perfection to a more peaceful, present way of living?

Here are a few simple steps that can change your life:

1. Give yourself permission to slow down
   We live in a fast-paced world where we’re constantly rushing from one task to the next, trying to juggle everything at once. But slowing down, taking moments to breathe, and allowing ourselves the time to truly rest are essential to reconnecting with the present moment. It’s in slowing down that we begin to notice the beauty and simplicity of life around us.

2. Hold to a standard of grace, not perfection
   Perfection is rigid and unyielding; grace, on the other hand, is flexible and compassionate. By choosing grace over perfection, we allow ourselves room to grow, make mistakes, and learn from them. Grace means giving yourself permission to be human, and recognizing that mistakes are part of the process.

3. Set your own standards of happiness and success
   Too often, we let external influences dictate what success and happiness should look like. Social media, the media at large, and societal pressures create a narrative about what we “should” want, or what makes a person successful or happy. But real happiness and success come from within. Take the time to define what those terms mean to you—not based on anyone else’s standards, but based on your own values and desires.

4. Don’t sacrifice the good to chase the perfect
   Perfection often leads us to sacrifice what’s already good in our lives. We focus on what’s “wrong” or what’s missing, and we forget to appreciate the beauty that’s already here. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, the perfect body, or the perfect situation to start living fully. Every moment holds something beautiful and valuable if we take the time to notice it.

5. Practice Present over Perfect
   This is the heart of it all. The more we focus on being present, the more we free ourselves from the impossible standard of perfection. When we embrace the present moment, we find peace in who we are, just as we are. We give ourselves permission to be imperfect, knowing that perfection is not what brings true joy, but the acceptance and celebration of life exactly as it is.

Find the book here - https://a.co/d/hnoiLo1