Blogging is what I do. I love writing and sharing my heart, my mind, and my soul.
Reflection Time Selfie
If this is your first time reading this series of my blog, please take a moment and read the introduction Elul Journey: A New Year Is Emerging – 5775 http://t.co/Y6vmXdO6GJ
Today is the forth day following Rosh Hodesh (beginning of the month) Elul; it is a time to reflect and to choose ways in which I can best move forward. While it is not easy to navigate life’s journeys, I always get to decide how to approach my life. In this moment, I am choosing to walk gently and embrace each step with openness. As I say this, I also realize that this would be a good time for a reality check.
During each blog post of my Elul Journeys, I will share a poem, a saying, a teaching that has helped me navigate the world. Let me know what you think!
Today, I will be quoting from Anne Lamott, the writer and teacher that speaks to my core being. Her transparency has helped open the door to my own transparency. She inspires me to be honest, to write whatever comes to my head, and to have integrity in how I walk in the world. While I do not know Anne Lamott, I have read her books, listened to all of her books on tape, and listened to her teachings and interviews. And I still have so much to learn from her. My hope and dream is that I can one day study with her in a workshop format; she is also one of only a few writers/artists that I dream of sitting down for tea with. Anne inspires me to become a better writer and a much better human being.
Nearly all of Anne’s writings and diatribes resonate deeply with me; they make me think.
“Perfectionism means that you try desperately not to leave so much mess to clean up. But clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground – you can still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, edit things out, fix things, get a grip. Tidiness suggests that something is as good as it’s going to get. Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation, while writing needs to breathe and move.”
AND
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life. . . . ”
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Being less than perfect is reality. I realize that my desire for perfectionism is an illusion that holds on tight and takes the air out of whatever it is I am trying to accomplish. When I am in a place of needing perfection the most, it means I am nurturing the broken parts of me that need soothing. Unfortunately, the brokenness has succeeded in destroying some of my creativity over the years. Sad, but true. I have struggled to find peace in the chaos that happens just before the explosion of creativity.
More and more frequently I am getting glimpses that the chaos of my mind and sometimes my physical environment has become a welcomed part of life. I love that my mind is full of ideas and that my fingers help me navigate my heart, my mind, and my soul. I wish I could say that perfectionism doesn’t impact my life any longer, but it does. The key is that I can now often take a step back and embrace imperfection with a lot more ease.
What I have learned in the past several years is that I can strive for perfection, but in the end I am learning to be happy with a job well done that has taught me many lessons along the way. 🙂
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