One Thing

We live in a noisy world and it’s getting louder. Our self worth hangs on a thread and most days we wonder if we are enough.

This week, I spent time with a 50 something friend who was battling frustration and wrestling with a deep fear of the future and regrets she felt over past decisions. She was almost paralyzed by the place she found herself. Tears filled her eyes and I could sense pain behind her words. My friend has a good life in many ways. She is healthy, has strong family ties, a steady income and solid life giving friendships, but at the deepest place within she deals with a heavy load of shame and angst.

She is not alone. There is a collective group of us who wonder if we are valuable and do we matter. We are told we are unique and created in the image of  an incredible God, but instead feel like a hot mess. Why?

We want to count for something.  Maybe it’s the number of years I see ticking by on the calendar but I too find myself weighing my past against the future. It’s an unsettled place. Much like the old school recess game of teeter- totter where we willfully chose to place our well being in the hands of a playground pal on the other end of a 12 foot board, a great deal of life is a balancing act.

What then? As women, we struggle. We long to do life well, but wrestle with comparison and perfectionism. I am in love with the words of John Steinbeck because he speaks so clearly to this very thing.

And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.                —John Steinbeck

Perfection cannot be the goal. Nor can being like everyone else. Another childhood game we love to play is follow the leader. Imitation and conformity may be the goal of a child’s game, but it is not a good fit for us.

We don’t need to be more of everyone else.  But rather, we are needed in all of the beautiful uniqueness God has placed within us. We absolutely don’t need to be replicas of anyone else.

The place you are, your family, home and life speak to you; we need you just as you are.

“Don’t be the next anybody. Be deeply, weirdly, completely, totally you”.  

Shauna Niequist

 Today, you have permission to live creatively, laugh loudly, wear crazy shoes, buy red lipstick or take a nap. Spend an evening sitting in the dark listening to great jazz, dancing in the kitchen with the music up loud or stretched out on the floor playing legos with your son. Whatever brings you great joy step into it! Push aside the voices who whisper “you can’t” or “you’re not enough.” Sister, girlfriend – you can and you are!

With abandon and without perfection do this one thing today.

 

Whatever you might do, work from the soul, as to the Lord and not to men. Colossians 3:23 

My friend, I am on this journey with you. We have one life this side of heaven and I encourage you to live well and without regret. Whatever you do, big or small, it brings praise and honor to God.

You might stumble along the way but lose your fear of being wrong. Be brave and step away from the lie of perfectionism! I am planning to do the same.

My prayer today is for you to step into a place of courage without perfection…..with your dancing shoes on! 

Blessings-

 

 

 

P.S. Love to hear what it looks like in your world as you embrace the thought of living without fear and perfection.  Comment, share or shoot me an email.  Hugs!!