{art via Celeste Clark}
One thing that I think is hard for most of us is to embrace imperfection. We want to have the answers, we want to do things the “right way” and we sure as heck don’t want to screw up or look like a fool or a failure. So we wait, we wait on the right time, we wait for the right words to come to us, we look to what others are doing. And a lot of times we just stay right there. We never move forward. The dream dies, the moment passes and we stay right there. This has happened to me more times than I’d like to admit in lots of different instances.
But it stops today.
Right now the world needs imperfect action more than ever.
Have questions? Ask someone. Don’t understand what it means to be racist or anti-racist? Ask a black friend. Does that feel uncomfortable? Embrace it. Our black friends need us now more than ever. They welcome these conversations. They’ve been wanting to be seen by white people their entire lives. Now is your chance to have those conversations with them. If you love a black person, talk to them right now. Don’t worry about how YOU will look, worry about how it will make them feel. We can stand with our black friends right now. And it all starts with imperfect action.
Imperfect action is something that I regularly teach my team about and always speak to.
I’ve pushed myself to embrace the imperfection in all areas of my life. Life is too short to sit and wait and worry and perfect. We’re all living imperfect lives, we’re all messy and broken and uniquely us. So why strive for perfection? Our imperfections are what make us different and what make us, us. So why not embrace them?!
Whatever perfection you’re holding onto today, I challenge you to let it go.
Let go of waiting for the perfect time, let go of waiting for the perfect words, let go of waiting on the perfect version of you to show up. YOU are capable. Whatever it is you’re wanting to do- go freaking do it. Mess up, feel silly, do something that scares you. I promise it will feel hard and scary at first, but that is exactly what the world needs right now.
The world needs imperfect action.
It needs people who are afraid to mess up, to maybe say the wrong thing and heaven forbid admit that they were wrong. Put aside your ego, friends. Right now, the world needs people who are brave enough to stand. Embrace the imperfection and stand.
