We all have imperfections, and often we try to hide them or pretend that they don’t exist, but they are necessary if we are ever going to feel stronger. Think of imperfections as the body’s way of cleansing the soul. Without them, we could never strive to be better tomorrow than what we are today. Imperfections have a purpose in our lives, and they can be a good way for reflection. In a world obsessed with perfection, the journey towards self-awareness often becomes a tightrope walk between self-discovery and the pitfalls of perfectionism. It’s easy to fall into the trap of constantly striving to be the flawless ideal we imagine for ourselves. As I celebrate my one-year journey of self-discovery, I’ve come to realize that being flawsome, embracing imperfections, is the real secret to self-confidence and genuine security.

It seems the more that I look around, the more I see this model of living where we think that bigger is better. The more expensive, the more prestige we have in life. The thinking that material possessions make a person superior to others, and in turn bragging rights. I find it just wrong. Just imagine if you weren’t making as much money anymore. Perhaps the jealousy would catch up to your thinking, which is often thought of as superiority. Your anger may grow, and slowly those imperfections start to get the best of you. However, there’s a way to do things differently. We all have the ability, if we want, to change. Imagine this in your mind: the ocean tides.

If you have ever seen the ocean at low tide, it races to the horizon and then rushes back to the shore. This tidal flow occurs at different times of the year. It is a somewhat silent flow of pristine nature that reconfigures itself as it ripples and creates new ones. In this tidal process, nature is an excellent teacher. Its perfection in a world of imperfections is a fresh start. The tidal pattern is a way of teaching us what life has to offer us, and that is the promise of something new daily, if one is willing to look below the surface that is constantly changing, our own imperfections, but be careful at the same time. Low tides give rise to high tides.

A tidal flow that slowly, like a potter, has carved the magnificent beauty of its waves. It’s been this way for centuries; the flow from a low to high tide sneaks up on you. If one is caught in the magnificent view of a dead low tide, it can be a long way back trying to get to shore. The point I’m trying to make is to try to be in the moment and live the life that you’ve been given as vigilantly as possible. That’s the greatest gift of all. There will come a time when we will have to leave this world the same way that we came in. No bank accounts, no investments, no luxury homes and cars, no big egos, just regular people. It’s the great equalizer. You can’t take it with you, but from one imperfect person to another, I can see the heavenly potential of a perfect place for all of us.

We live in a world that often glorifies perfection, and embracing our imperfections can be a liberating and empowering experience. Embrace your authentic self, that realness over perfection. It’s the way to be true to yourself and to foster deeper connections with others. It also helps you to learn and to grow because imperfections come with valuable lessons that pave the way to personal development, but also allow us to develop strength. When we come across setbacks, we are then able to handle them more gracefully.

Imperfections allow for success because we no longer have to feel perfect for our efforts. Instead, we are able to set realistic goals for ourselves that we can achieve. It also allows us to connect with those around us.

Connecting to others builds empathy, self-compassion, and shifts our perspective. Sometimes our greatest flaws become our greatest assets. We start to look at ourselves differently, but imperfection also allows us to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves and to thrive because we are no longer concerned about how we look to others.

Imperfection challenges perfectionism so that we aren’t paralyzed with the fear that we can’t meet the impossible. We can celebrate progress and focus on the end results. That’s what is meant to be. Imperfection is the new perfection. It’s what I like to call flawsome. It’s knowing that you have flaws, but still realizing that you are awesome anyway. We can take the small victories and take small steps towards being our authentic selves. Remember, it’s perfectly okay to be imperfect. After all, you’re supposed to be human.