I have acquired a distaste for the mere idea of perfection when it comes to people. By perfection, I am speaking of the definition of which perfection means to be without any faults and without any blemishes when it applies to people. Those who believe in this insane idea of perfection in an individual are setting unrealistic and destructive standards for not only themselves, but those around them. A lot of problems in our society have arisen because people aim for this unachievable status of perfection, when people attempt to match up to their ideal image of perfection, they end up self-harming, depriving themselves of the proper and necessary nutrients needed to function, and/or they tend to construct a toxic mindset which lowers their self-esteem and can ultimately lead to serious mental disorders like depression.
The adverse issues that come about from trying to achieve or maintain this illusion of perfection have detrimental effects on how we view ourselves, how we view others, and vice versa. With everyone making perfection a goal to achieve, it leads to a catastrophic society that is stumbling in the wake of our own destruction because we were blinded by the misconception of what we should aim to achieve. We are all so caught up in being perfect, that we fail to connect with others on an interpersonal level because we fear the thought of our exposure and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. I always discover that underneath that perfectionist layer is someone who is cracking under pressure,
So what can we do to once and for all eliminate this illusion of perfection? We need to stop labeling one another as perfect, we need to stop aiming to be without flaws and get a grip on reality.
What you should be striving for is how to be real.
What do I mean by that? I mean that we need to embrace imperfection and acknowledge that to be real means we are exposed for our flaws and our blemishes, but despite our faults, we are authentic and genuine in the way we speak, act, and think. Being real means coming to terms with the fact that it’s okay not to be the smartest, it’s okay not to be the funniest, it’s okay not to be the most athletic, it’s okay not to be the prettiest, and it’s okay not to be perfect.
Perfection is an illusion that destroys us on the inside and leaves us sweating on the out. The idea of perfection is pretty, but in practice, it is a dream gone south. Perfection will leave you feeling as if you aren’t good enough, like you are inadequate and that there must be something wrong with you because you cannot achieve this persona. But, all in all, we weren’t made to be perfect, we were made to be human, and to be human means to be real.
I want to be in a world where people are content with their imperfections, where it isn’t seen as some open wound, but as something that they have risen above and will continue to rise above so that it becomes insignificant to who they have become.
