What do you think of when you hear the word, perfect? We use this word to describe people, feelings, movies, lipstick, situations, bodies, days, moments, food, weddings, shoes, the list goes on.
Growing up I couldn't help but to idealize perfection. As young as elementary school, I remember worrying about perfect grades, a perfect piano recital, the perfect pair of jelly shoes, doing the perfect back-handspring. As I got older the itch for perfection only grew.
The perfect I was searching for was now in boys, in the "cool crowd" of people at school, in the clothes I wore, in a first kiss, in what people thought of me, in the kind of car I would drive when I turned 16 - let me just say it wasn't perfect ('92 Honda with burgundy interior, if you're curious...thanks dad).
The yearning for perfection in material things stayed constant, but new expectations of perfection began to form. Perfect people. We create ideas in our minds of what people should be like, how they should treat us, and how they should make us feel. I even remember making a list of requirements I would have for a boyfriend after the first one broke my heart.
Obviously, I've had boyfriends since then and not a single one checked off every "requirement" on that list. Not because they weren't nice guys - but because perfection in people does not exist. Perfection does not exist in the majority of tangible, earthly things.
As much as we would love to say that we fully accept our own flaws along with those of other people, it is only human nature to cling to ideas of perfection.
I live a comfortable life, I have a lot of people who care about me, I'm not struggling to pay the bills, I always have a meal on the table, I'm healthy, I have good grades, a great job. Yet, DAILY I catch myself wishing for perfection in silly things.
"I wish I had perfect skin."
"If I do enough squats I'll have the perfect butt."
"I need the perfect dress for this weekend."
"That would be the perfect job when I graduate."
This isn't something that everybody likes to talk about. It's hard to admit that it bothers us when things don't turn out like we hoped they would. It's hard to admit that we expect perfection, because as humans, we know that it's not realistic.
I'm not saying that we should have low expectations or standards when it comes to our own happiness and well-being, but we should not be so clouded by looming ideas of perfection that we forget to realize what IS good, or even GREAT. Although I don't think these ideas will ever completely fade away, this is something I'm learning to be more conscious about as I get older.
That's what's in my jar.
Obviously, I've had boyfriends since then and not a single one checked off every "requirement" on that list. Not because they weren't nice guys - but because perfection in people does not exist. Perfection does not exist in the majority of tangible, earthly things.
As much as we would love to say that we fully accept our own flaws along with those of other people, it is only human nature to cling to ideas of perfection.
I live a comfortable life, I have a lot of people who care about me, I'm not struggling to pay the bills, I always have a meal on the table, I'm healthy, I have good grades, a great job. Yet, DAILY I catch myself wishing for perfection in silly things.
"I wish I had perfect skin."
"If I do enough squats I'll have the perfect butt."
"I need the perfect dress for this weekend."
"That would be the perfect job when I graduate."
This isn't something that everybody likes to talk about. It's hard to admit that it bothers us when things don't turn out like we hoped they would. It's hard to admit that we expect perfection, because as humans, we know that it's not realistic.
I'm not saying that we should have low expectations or standards when it comes to our own happiness and well-being, but we should not be so clouded by looming ideas of perfection that we forget to realize what IS good, or even GREAT. Although I don't think these ideas will ever completely fade away, this is something I'm learning to be more conscious about as I get older.
That's what's in my jar.
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