JUST BEING – no need to be perfect

Opening up a book I have: the little book of MINDFULNESS – I opened it to: There’s No Need to be Perfect. This book is composed of short readings and quotes (so if you know me, definitely up my alley, LOL). Lets look at the writing provided – I have it as the 1st bullet point. Whether you read it a few times OR read it, then read what I have written below it and then revisit the book version insert…whatever works for you. See if you can feel into the wording that is provided and how it speaks to you.

• “Immerse yourself in activities for the enjoyment they bring you, rather than with the goal of trying to achieve perfection. Dance because you love to move to music, not just because you are determined to improve your footwork; bake bread because you enjoy the comforting feeling of kneading dough and the aroma of the loaf while it is baking. Focus on the task in hand and enjoy it for the pleasure you feel when doing it. Imposing additional demands on yourself will detract from the joy of the activity. Good is good enough. No one can achieve perfection in every part of life so pick and choose those areas where you feel content to be “just right”. The results will be emotionally liberating.” – Part from a book named: the little book of MINDFULNESS – written by: gilly pickup

Now I know I may have cheated and put things in italics, bold and underlined sections. Things like: enjoy, aroma, pleasure – – VS – – achieve perfection, imposing demands.

Enjoyment speaks – light, easy, airy. Whereas achieving perfection, imposing demands – they speak heaviness and maybe the feeling of HAVE TO. Could you soak in what it’s explaining? It isn’t saying not to have goals and strive to achieve them. I see it as expressing the importance of MOMENTS – in which I touched base on in yesterday’s writing (rainy day…). Intentionally realizing things, creating moments and allowing yourself the freedom (the pleasure) of finding joy in the simplicity of life’s little things.

Let me offer another way of thinking of it: things amongst our “have to” things can actually be things “we get to do”. Not just about switching the wording but are there aspects within daily routines that maybe we overlook the gratification within it because we are missing important pieces and outlooks that have been created over time?!!? And/or – where can we carve out time and space for things in general in a new light?

• Like making dinner. Are there things that you used to enjoy but seems to have lost its luster within yourself because it’s just “one more thing on the to-do list”? Yes it might be a necessity but is there a way to bring back a joyful aspect within it to help?!!? Maybe add some music, a little fun ‘dancing foot work’ when moving about the kitchen, ask for help where needed (setting the table, getting drinks ready, etc) and if you have helpers – add in conversation about each other’s day…
• An example used from the book is dancing. If we use it for exercise, what if every now and then we worked out for us in a different way. No “have to” or “for this reason or that reason” but to take delight in it. I found: Body Groove fun and eye opening. Have I done a great job sticking with it? No, unfortunately I have not. However, the take away of JUST DANCE because it feels good has been refreshing and carried over throughout other things as I do them. Not because I am trying to accomplish this or that. Just move – let yourself have fun. It doesn’t matter if you look silly. It’s what’s inside of you that gets released and feels good doing it. Now if you don’t like to dance it wouldn’t be for you but it’s an example. 🙂
• The picture below could be another example. We love to hike. While camping we looked up waterfalls in the area in order to go explore. This time though, it ended up being a short walk from the car. At first it was kind of a feeling of: oh, that wasn’t really a lot of exercise. BUT the joy that came from our family time of “just being” together – kiddos splashing each other under the waterfall – seeing the beautiful rainbow…each were a gift. Not a big accomplishment of feeling good for walking a distance of “x”. But the “just right” feeling is what was “good enough” for that day, for that moment!

We were not created to be perfect. It’s not attainable. Every day we give it our best. Some days we give more and some days we can be ok with “just right”. The world keeps turning either way. May we all see the good within us, within others and help pick each other up! Letting them know: they’re doing a good job!