Finding Joy in Imperfection
This post is the third part of a series of reflections in response to the question, "How do you handle it all?" You can read Part I and Part II at the embedded links.
Some people think I am a perfectionist.
I'm not.
Though I do strive for excellence and work hard, giving my best when I commit to something, I'm quite content with "it's good enough." Like most actors, directors, and producers in live theater, I know the point at which effort meets illusion and the law of diminishing returns kicks in. I also know that attention to detail matters - but that obsessive attention to detail is neither productive for me nor noticed by most people.
I will admit, however, that I have perfectionist tendencies, and I see my son struggling with his own, inherited honestly from both sides of his family. We've been working on accepting imperfection, on seeing failure as learning, and on lowering expectations on ourselves and on others.
On the third Sunday in advent, as the church prepared to light the "joy" candle, our associate pastor encouraged us to "find the joy in imperfection." This phrase is one I have carried into my conversations at home, and it's something I'm tucking away inside to pull out as I tackle challenges at work.
It is not possible for me to juggle the responsibilities of a professional life, household management, child rearing, and community involvement if I cannot find the joy in imperfection. For me that joy comes from making a difference in some capacity and knowing that others appreciate my hard work and efforts. As I wrote in part II of this series, much of that work is invisible, and accepting that "good enough" is "quite perfect" in others' eyes is an important lesson I've learned. Finding joy in imperfection, and seeing that others find joy too, helps me to manage all that I do.
Coming soon... part IV in "How do you handle it all?"
*Definitions captured from Google.
Some people think I am a perfectionist.
I'm not.
Though I do strive for excellence and work hard, giving my best when I commit to something, I'm quite content with "it's good enough." Like most actors, directors, and producers in live theater, I know the point at which effort meets illusion and the law of diminishing returns kicks in. I also know that attention to detail matters - but that obsessive attention to detail is neither productive for me nor noticed by most people. I will admit, however, that I have perfectionist tendencies, and I see my son struggling with his own, inherited honestly from both sides of his family. We've been working on accepting imperfection, on seeing failure as learning, and on lowering expectations on ourselves and on others.
On the third Sunday in advent, as the church prepared to light the "joy" candle, our associate pastor encouraged us to "find the joy in imperfection." This phrase is one I have carried into my conversations at home, and it's something I'm tucking away inside to pull out as I tackle challenges at work.
It is not possible for me to juggle the responsibilities of a professional life, household management, child rearing, and community involvement if I cannot find the joy in imperfection. For me that joy comes from making a difference in some capacity and knowing that others appreciate my hard work and efforts. As I wrote in part II of this series, much of that work is invisible, and accepting that "good enough" is "quite perfect" in others' eyes is an important lesson I've learned. Finding joy in imperfection, and seeing that others find joy too, helps me to manage all that I do.
Coming soon... part IV in "How do you handle it all?"
*Definitions captured from Google.
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