A Year of Intentional Imperfection

My hubby laughed when I told him I’d been tweaking this piece on perfectionism since January 9. Oh, the irony.

I committed myself to a full year of intentional imperfection at the beginning of the year amidst No Resolutions 2021. A paradox coming from a perfectionist pastor’s wife — but, that’s the point. 

Idealism, OCD brain, and maybe even faulty theology (eek!) convinced me there’s one right, good, true, perfect path to take at all times. Of a need to line up all areas of my life “just so.” Self, marriage, kids, home, church, faith…check, check! A perfect life equals a happy life, right?

Yet, perfection is out of reach for all of us aside from the lone righteousness of Christ. Perfectionism leads to disappointment and lands in failure. Besides, it’s all of us flawed, quirky people, with lives filled with human error and hardship, that make the world go round.

God makes use of it all. Of us all.

This year I intend to contend with my hyper-focus on having things just so, by having them “un-so.” I’m aiming for out-of-the box, stretch myself kinds of choices this year. Nothing too crazy, but blue fingernails, here I come!

This year seems as good a time as any to shine however imperfectly. I hope to re-wire some brain synapses in the process — blue fingernails and all.