Learning to Love (Or Coexist With) Imperfection

"Errors admit fresh air."
In his slim, but fully informed book, Mind Over Water (1999), Craig Lambert grabbed my attention with this statement. So many of us get stuck, truly stuck, on the idea of perfection and become too afraid of errors. Lambert states, "Errors ought to fascinate us. But to receive their message, we must be concentrated on our task, rather than on ourselves." (pg. 88)
Self-awareness can be a real boon. But, when we focus too deeply or hypercritically on how our actions reflect on us, it stymies our true living. We freeze in place, caught in fear of making mistakes.
Lambert goes on, "Most real learning comes from trial and error; therefore the essential thing is a plethora of trials......Failures are road signs--NOT THIS WAY--marking the route to success."(pg. 88)
It takes courage and patience to ignore the negative internal chatter that keeps us from valuing our attempts, whatever the outcome.

Here's wishing us all a bit of both.