Perfection

Perfect?
what does it really mean any way? It has a different definition to every one. The Dictionary definition of perfect is, complete in all respects; without defect or omission; faultless; most excellent; exact or precise.
I was thinking about how we are all striving for perfection in our lives, perfect house, perfect car, perfect kids, perfect marriage, perfect body, perfect life!
I got to thinking about how the definition of perfect is different for everyone.
To some one with curly hair, perfect would be straight hair. Someone who is rich wants the authentic simple moments, To some one with out a car, perfect would be anything that would take them from point A to point B with out stopping. To a size 6 perfect is a size 2, to a size 20 perfect is a size 12. What is perfect to a size 2? Probably a size 6! Who knows! It seems like perfect is what ever we don't have or are lacking that we want. But yet how often do we focus on what we do have, and what we are doing well or even perfect?
So even though your life might seem far from perfect to you. In someone elses eyes you have the perfect life!

I love the book simple abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. It has a different story, or message for every day of the year. There is a story in there I will never forget. It is titled Progress, Not Perfection it starts with a quote that I love.

Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.
- Anne Wilson Schaef.

This story is about a Mom and her daughter, they wanted to make a potted flower arrangement like one they had seen in a magazine, they worked and fussed to make it perfect and it still did not look like the one in the magazine. The Mom gave up trying and said "Okay we are done. It's beautiful." The daughter said "But it doesn't look like hers," The Mom said"No, it doesn't. It looks like ours. Ours is great. Fine. Close enough." The daughter says "But hers is perfect. Everything she does is perfect. I want ours to be perfect too,"
Time out Serenity 102: Progress, Not perfection she explained to her daughter that the glamorous lifestyle gurus in books, magazines, and television have full-time professionals working for them. She also talked about how they rarely know a moments peace, and that what they had worked on was real. maybe not perfect but authentic and real! How much of our day is spoiled, spent or sullied- by our neurotic insistence on perfection? And what is perfect anyway? I really do feel like striving for perfection is truly self abuse.
And I do it! Why? I really don't know. Why can't I just let myself be, be enough the way I am?
It is funny that sometimes I feel like I am the only one who feels the way I do. The only one who has a messy house, crazy kids, the only one who needs to loose weight again for the 100Th time. The only one who screams behind closed doors. Why is it that we feel like we have to measure up, in every area in our life?
I wrote a children's book called Mommy what is Pretty? It is about a little girl who is asking her Mommy what it means to be pretty, is it being thin, wearing make up, jewels or fancy things??? The Mom replies that being pretty is knowing who you are, being kind, and letting your self just BE.
I really feel that the message needs to get out to women old and young,

Stop the inner abuse!

If your best friend treated you the way you treat yourself would you be friends with her?
I really need to work on this. I challenge all women every where to be more kind, and accepting of your self.
So your house is messy, is it the end of the world? You can always clean it later. Your body is not perfect, neither is mine. You feel like no one likes you? You can always call me. You feel like you are inadequate, all I can say is don't we all! Thank heavens for spell check, calculators and girdles!
So progress not perfection Ladies!

Haven't you had enough???

I have!