“Practice makes you perfect.” Practically everyone who has ever sat at my piano bench (old or young) used to parrot these words to me. But I found that this belief set the student up for failure. Obviously, no one can ever be 100% perfect all the time. Most students got frustrated trying and eventually would quit lessons altogether.

I had a friend who used to say “Practice makes you better, nothing makes you perfect.” This statement was better and released some of the mental pressure of being perfect; however, at the end of the day, the word practice just held too many negative connotations.

Then I heard a saying in a movie I was watching which said that we all are perfectly imperfect. Isn’t that lovely?

We all have aspects of ourselves that we are wanting to improve. We are always evolving, expanding, growing and accepting ourselves the way we are. Only by embracing our so-called flaws and seeing our imperfections can we keep ourselves humble and whole. We are perfect the way we are.

If you are ten pounds overweight, then bless the pounds for being there. Forgive yourself for eating the foods that you shouldn’t have eaten. You are okay. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

If you don’t have the job you want, then take another. It’s okay to “chop wood” (as a friend of mine used to say) until the right opportunity comes along. You never know, that job might land you into the one you really want. Your curse could end up being your blessing.

If you have lost someone dear to you, it’s all right to cry. Missing them in your life means that you have loved. I sang a Mozart Lied once which said that your tears are the finest pearls in Heaven. You’ll always feel a twinge in your heart for that person and that’s as it should be. We all want to be loved, loving, and lovable.

If you are feeling lost and stressed in this new paradigm, you are normal. Accept the chaos. In time, the ground will settle under your feet.

What could be helpful is for you to make a list and answer these questions:

* What don’t you want

* What do you want

* What do you need to make what you want a reality

* What actions do you need to take

You are in charge. This unsettling feeling is there to let you know it’s time to go for your own gold mettle. Put your running shoes on and open the door.

The sooner we accept our mental, physical, financial, and creative imperfections, the sooner we can drop the façades and get on with life. How much mental energy would we save if we could just let go and embrace ourselves for being perfectly imperfect?

I challenge you to take one area of your life, big or small, and acknowledge that you are okay with being perfectly imperfect. Tell your Self, “I love my Self and this imperfection just the way I am.” I imagine that once you did this for thirty days you’d feel a shift in your life, a lighter heart, and a bounce in your step. It’s always good to change your perspective and perception. Change the way you see and change the way you live.