Looking for Perfection

The alarm goes off, she hits the off button and rises up, stretches, yawns, then smiles. As she gets up, she quickly makes her bed then walks into the kitchen to start the coffee or tea. While her hot drink of choice is in preparation, she drinks a glass of water, then heads to the bathroom to get ready. She already knows what she’s going to wear and quickly gets through her morning routine, usually while listening to music. Magically as she is finishing up the last touches of her look, her morning drink is ready and she is notified by a beeping sound in the kitchen. She looks in the mirror one last time before smiling and heading to grab that now ready cup of yumminess. As she sips on her lovely drink she looks through her planner, jots a few things down, then makes her way around a clean kitchen to cook breakfast. She enjoys her breakfast and reads the next chapter of a book. She looks refreshed, ready for the day and somehow she doesn’t seem at all worried with even a small possibility she will be late for work. When she is done eating breakfast, she reads a few more pages and then cleans up her dishes before heading off for her day. She does all of this and still manages to get to work on time. 

My eyes would be glued to the screen depicting this perfect life, “I want that” I would think to myself. I want to live a productive life that isn’t busy or worrisome, but that makes a difference. A clean house. A good job. Time to do what matters to me. Time to eat healthy. Time to think and create. Time to…. 

But it never seemed to come. In college I would rush around trying to get from one place to the next, juggling two jobs, full course load, volunteer hours, job-shadowing, among typical college life, and trying to sleep too there was no “perfect mornings” like the one I watched on the screen. Then I started my career. “This. Is. It!” I thought to myself as I navigated my first year of teaching which led to me drowning in piles of papers to grade and lamination to cut. During my second year of teaching, I found a balance of work, family, friends, ministry, and spending time with God. Then, I got married; I was newly married, having a home of my own for the first time, teaching full time, involved in ministry, as well as dealing with transitioning from short distance to long distance in some friendships and family relationships. My perfectly laid system was soon falling apart at the seams. I couldn’t keep a perfectly clean house, cook dinner, work full time, keep up with old friendships, create new ones in my new home town, be involved in ministry, and have time for all the other things I care about. It was frustrating. For a year I played around with the system, trying and failing, asking questions, researching, and trying again. I have finally found a way to live my best life and I want to share what I have found along the way. Do I have it perfect? Oh no. But I have found how to live each day as best as I can. I found out what was holding me back.

I was looking for this perfect life. Perfection was holding me back. Someone else’s check list was holding me back. My imagined “husband’s standards” were holding me back. My version of the “best wife” was holding me back. It tripped me up, it caused me to be critical of myself and I refused to give myself grace. I would say things like: “I’ve done it before, suck it up buttercup.” “Get to it, what is wrong with you?!” “Why can’t you get your stuff done like ______ does?” Does any of that sound familiar? Can I share a little tip: You. Are. Not. Perfection. 

Challenge today: 

Find out what is causing you to continually feel like you’re not where you’re supposed to be. There is a difference between being a life-long learner, knowing that you could always improve, and the thought process that tells you that you’re not measuring up. 

Here are some questions to help you start living your best life. If you want to get the most out of this, spend some time with these questions, at the VERY LEAST read them and think about them throughout the day. Ideally, you would sit with these questions and maybe even write them out and journal the answers. You could even comment the answers on our social media or down below in the comments section and start up a conversation. 

1. Are you reading this because you are a life-long learner or because you are hoping it will help you finally get where you know you could be? 

2. What habits are tripping you up right now in living your best life? Perfection? Lack of organization? Lack of knowledge? 

3. What is your biggest area of concern right now? Keeping the house clean? Having time for yourself or your hobbies? Having time for relationships? Having time for devotions and prayer?

Whether you are here because you are a life-long learner or someone looking for a solution to a problem, you are welcome here. We can all learn something from each other. 

You can ALWAYS be better, but that doesn’t mean you’re not enough right now.