While out walking with a friend, I came across a flower bed with a few interesting arrangements. I quickly took a photo and we went on our way. I had no expectations of the photo and I actually forgot I took the shot… Until I looked through my camera and saw the vibrant colors. I loved it, but I also saw was it was a bit fuzzy. I tried to post it to my Instagram account three times, but chickened out each time. I will admit, this image sent me on a journey of managing my emotions as my perfectionism nearly held me back.
This image is not quite in focus. I tried to fix it with filters. I tried to crop it and hide the flaw. I even drove back hours later to try to recreate the shot, but unfortunately the lighting was no longer cooperating. I pondered… Do I dare share this image despite the flaw? Or do I discard it because it is not 100% perfect.
Why was Perfectionism Holding Me Back?
With today’s world of perfectly polished “life” showing up on our social media feeds, it is easy to feel held to an unrealistic standard. Is your table perfectly set? Dinner plates garnished? Does your yard look like a magazine? Are your children professionally photographed for each milestone? No!? Then you must doing something wrong …
or
Maybe you’re doing something right.
Life usually doesn’t happen during perfectly lit, camera ready settings. It happens in the rain, it happens through tears, messy hair or wrinkles. It can be beautiful and flawed at the same time and should be shared! A fulfilled life happens on walks with friends when you take a beautiful, yet slightly fuzzy photo of a flower. In realizing this, I made a decision. Instead of discarding it for its flaw, I won’t be held back by perfectionism. I choose to share it for its unconventional beauty.
Upon sharing it on Instagram, it received “likes,” I wasn’t banned from the site ? and I learned that most people don’t hold you to the level of perfectionism that you hold yourself. Hopefully if you are feeling held to an unexpected standard, you can find some relief by just being you and sharing your life!
Have you over come the barriers of perfectionism to see the beauty in life? Please share your stories with me here.
-Tracy
Oh my! This is so true! You’re right it’s mostly because of how social people got over the internet. But sometimes it’s the imperfect, impulsive moments that make life more memorable and worth looking back. There’s no harm giving the best we got into anything but there’s a line that it becomes restrictive than protective. I love this post thanks Tracy!