Letting Go of Perfection

As a creative person, it is hard sometimes to let go of perfection.  I have had to decide that perfect was no longer a reflection of done.  Becomes sometimes good enough is more than enough.  It's often great.

We live in a visual online world and I think that has set the bar pretty high for creative people.  It has also opened up a place for more inspiration and for everyday people like you and I to have a place to show our work.  But I believe the downfall of it has set some really unrealistic expectations--that only perfect will ever be good enough.

The problem is that no one or anything on this world is perfect.  And doing all that we can to reach it only leaves us disappointed. 

I was recently editing some pictures from a family vacation.  There were 286 pictures I had chosen to edit out of 500 that I took (this is my life!).  I had just finished putting together a 100+ page photo book on a deadline to get it in time for a gift.  And as I sat there staring in front of the computer screen, yet again, quickly editing photos knowing I could take a little longer to make them "perfect" I had to decide that good enough was good enough.

I love my creative work, my creative hobbies, and having time to live a creative life.  But there are other things in life like relationships, and laundry, and groceries, and reading, and laughing.  And when I hold on to perfection too tightly it begins to take up my time and my mind and my expectations that I don't let go and live life.  I want to enjoy those family vacations photos.  When I look back I want to remember the memories not whether or not my white balance was perfect.  Because in the end those little perfectionist details don't really matter.  It is those relationships and that we were even able to capture those memories that are going to matter years from now.

We live in a world that is constantly telling us to challenge ourselves.  To grow and to aspire to more.  You know I am a firm believer in being open to change and bettering yourself as well as your skills.  But there has to be a point where we find contentment in who we are and what we do to actually enjoy and embrace the person we are.

Whether it be in your job, your role as a mother or wife, or in a creative hobby, let's consider giving ourselves a break at being perfect all the time.  I recently read something that said that we as women have too much time on our hands.  We live busy lives, yes, but we also spend a lot of time reading and researching on how to be a better version of ourselves to a point that we set unhealthy expectations of the perfect person we are supposed to be.  If you are feeling the pressure that you are not enough at what you do, consider taking a step back and just live your life.  I promise, you are probably already doing a pretty amazing job.