“maybe we’re ashamed of our imperfections bc we think that if we let others see them, they won’t like us anymore.”

We are TERRIFIED of exposing our flaws. Why?

Because if someone sees something about you that’s not perfect (a fat roll, a wide limb, a lack of muscle tone, some ‘jiggle’, or maybe just a general sense of ‘unattractiveness’), you will spontaneously light on fire. And fall off a cliff. And lose your job. And your boyfriend or girlfriend. And your family will be murdered the next day. And your chance at ever being happy will be destroyed FOREVER. And your car will be towed.

Right? Isn’t there some horrible consequence that comes with failing to obtain perfection?

It’s way too easy to think we were born to reach these impossible standards when we think we’re the only ones who haven’t yet. We’re quick to assume we have it the worst, we feel the most pain, and that we are the only ones who ever fail.

When someone else goes through a breakup, it’s like… “ooh, awkward. Touchy subject. Their relationship is over. Oh well, now they’re two separate people again. They’ll probably be sad for like three days, but then everything will be back to normal…”

But when YOU go through a breakup, it’s like “AAAHHH THE WORLD IS OVER. I’m dead. I died. My soul is crushed. My life will never be the same. Everything is horrible and I have no clue what to do. I’m so lost, my life has lost it’s sole meaning. NOTHING will EVER be the same.” your pain doesn’t last three days the way everyone else’s does (or seems to), it lasts for weeks, months, sometimes even years. Why?

Because we’re the only ones with problems. Things only go wrong in my life. I’m the only one who ever feels like EVERYTHING is wrong. Everyone else has it all figured out, even if they get a little sad once in a while. I’m the only one who ever feels completely lost. I’m the only one who has no control over anything, right?

If anyone else EVER felt the way I do, they would definitely tell me. They’d tell everyone! It would be completely obvious. I’m the only one who has feelings! And I have so many! Everyone else lives according to instructions I didn’t receive. They know exactly where they’re going, what they’re doing and who they are. No one ever feels as lost, worthless, useless, horrible, ugly, repulsive, unwanted, unattractive or invisible as I do, because if they did, they would show it.

I always show everything I feel, and everyone else operates the exact same way that I do.

Oh wait, no I don’t and no they don’t.

EVERYONE. IS. DIFFERENT.

I’ve said this like six times and I’ll say it again: EVERYONE has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. If your visions is clear enough to see and recognize them for what they are, you’ll know your strengths greatly outweigh your weaknesses.

I used to have a “home improvement” list in my head, of things about myself I wanted to change. Everything I did revolved around that list, and I lived my life looking forward to the day when I achieved my impossible standard of perfection. Eventually, I realized how unhappy I was. My life had no meaning! As soon as I reached one goal, I already had 5 new ones. I finally had to just accept the fact that I will never be perfect. If that sounds depressing to you, you’re still stuck in the shmuck.

The world’s definition of “good enough” is always changing. One second you’re in, the next you’re OUT. If you base your life around that you’ll never be happy. When someone puts something out there that so obviously seems like the way to obtain happiness, of course you’re gonna jump on that bandwagon! But you have to remember, makeup washes off in the shower. Hairstyles fall out. Clothing stains, cars break down, houses get dirty, money runs out… None of these worldly things will ever make you truly happy.

I think true satisfaction comes when we accept ourselves for EXACTLY what we are. Unique, beautiful creations, all worthy of infinite love from our Creator, capable of doing extreme amounts of good and damage… No one can ever beat you at being YOU. If you wanna change something, you can! If you wanna stay the same, you can! Take control of your life, start following your intuition, figure out who you are.

It’s not so scary or difficult! You know what you like and what you don’t, you know what feels right and wrong, and you’ve got all the time in the world to figure out what works for YOU. People don’t know who you are or what incredible, brand new things you’re capable of. They only know what’s already been done and what already worked, so of course they’re gonna tell you every reason why you can’t make it. But they’re wrong!

I’m not sure if this is all making sense, my brain is really jumbled and overwhelmed right now, but basically, I used to be terrified of showing my flaws. I thought I would literally die if they “got around”. Now I’m not afraid of being myself. I know who I am, I know my strengths, I know my weaknesses and I know they’re not that bad. Nobody’s are! If someone disagrees, they simply haven’t come to the satisfying understanding that I have. I’ll pray for them. Lol I know I have so much to give, after you take away all my worldly successes. I have love to give and that’s all that matters.

The more I internalize all of this, the more I grasp what I’m worth, the more I realize how irrelevant my appearance is in comparison to the message I bring to the table, the more I love and accept myself… the more I truly see the way I was created in God’s image. I never wanted to accept it before because I knew God wasn’t horrible but I thought I was some horrible beast with such terrible flaws hidden inside me. But I don’t think that way anymore. I understand now that the fear of being myself I felt doesn’t come from God, therefore it is dismissed. My priorities have shifted.

Now I get it :)