If you were to sit down in the middle of any coffee shop, bar, or in a park, chances are you would hear someone lamenting about a previous relationship, which would inevitably lead to the idea that they are still searching for that "perfect person."

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that "perfect person" doesn't exist.

Growing up, we fantasized about our dream date. They would have sparkling eyes and perfect hair, and they would be so smart and perfectly outgoing. We watched movies and shows that featured seemingly perfect people in their perfect places, and we read books that crafted an image of what a proper lover would be like (mysterious, passionate, Edward Cullen...). We couldn't wait to be swept off of our feet by our version of that person, and so we actually spent time looking for them.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've been fed lies.

It's time to stop searching for the perfect person, your perfect match. The truth is that perfect people do not, under any circumstances, exist; the human experience is all about being unique, and that often means having flaws. Otherwise, how would we differentiate ourselves from one another?

Perfect people don't exist, but the stigma that we need to find ourselves someone who literally has it all going on does, and it's damaging to both men and women's self-esteem. So what if their height doesn't quite meet your "at least six feet tall standard?" Oh, they don't go to the gym as often as you? Are you actually letting that define an entire human being?

I'm not saying that having standards is unrealistic; it's important to know what you deserve, but it's equally as important to recognize that humans are flawed in the most beautiful ways. Discarding someone as a potential date because of one flaw is like when you open those two packs of Starbursts and one of them is yellow, and you feel like the whole package is less valuable. This is so unfair because yellow Starbursts aren't even bad, and the whole package is still fine.

My point is that humans have their quirks and nuances, and that's okay. Finding the person who compliments your personality doesn't mean desperately searching for someone without a single flaw; it means finding someone who has flaws, but owns them and inspires you to be your best self.