We spend so much time trying to be a better version of ourselves: smarter, more successful, healthier and more travelled, that I don’t think we spend enough time actually being ourselves.

When was the last time you did something just for you?

When was the last time you felt an emotion without judgement?

When was the last time you told yourself that you’re imperfect and that’s ok?

Some days I wake up and I can’t be arsed doing anything. I don’t want to write or read or talk to people. All I want to do is binge watch a TV series and drink too much coffee. So that’s what I do. And when I feel frustrated or jealous or inadequate I tell myself that it’s ok, and I’m not a bad person. Same goes for when I make a mistake. Just because I did something bad doesn’t mean I’m inherently bad.

However, the world will tell you otherwise. Not because it’s true but because it wants to sell you more stuff. We hate being vulnerable and imperfect. In fact, we do everything we can to hide our imperfections from others: makeup, Instagram filters, diets, buying products, and everything in between. And we believe that if we work harder, try harder, and be better that no one will notice our vulnerabilities.

But often it’s not until we become ourselves that people pay attention. We only like to follow people who are real, genuine, and who stumble around a lot, fall, and get back up again. You only have to look at the most loved stories (check out the Hero’s Journey) and famous people (Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela and Jane Goodall) to see this. More importantly though, it’s not until we embrace being ourselves, our imperfections, that we become a better version of ourselves. The thing we were trying to achieve all along.

If you’re interested in learning more about vulnerability. Check out Brene Brown’s famous Ted Talk and read her book: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.

Featured image from Google.