Don’t let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started. – Marilu Henner

So ironically, I thought I messed up and used the wrong quote on twitter this morning.  So much for perfection, right?  When I thought that, I was all stressed out about making a mistake and I thought “Well, maybe I won’t do a blog post today.”  Yeah I’m an absolute goof some times.  Here’s the thing.  Nobody is perfect.  I have put off so many things in my life because I knew the end result wasn’t going to be perfect and if it’s not perfect, why do it, right?

Way back when I was just a little kid, I brought home a paper from school that my mom had to sign and I had to bring back.  My mum looked at it and asked why it had to be signed and brought back and I told her, “Sister said it’s because I didn’t stay in the lines with my coloring.”  God’s honest truth, even though all the work was correct, I had to get my paper signed because I sucked at coloring.  You know what, I don’t color any more, and I don’t draw and I barely even doodle. It’s kind of sad that one little event has impacted me in such a way.  Logically, I know it doesn’t matter – especially now.  But it does matter.  I look at all those adult coloring books that are supposed to be stress relievers and I get tied up in giant knots.

When my own kids were little, one year for Christmas, I got them each the ginormous 64 box of crayolas, a case of computer paper, and a rubbish bin.  Seriously.  I let them color and create to their hearts content.  Now, neither one of my kids are have an iota of artistic talent, but neither one of them is afraid to pick up a pencil, marker or crayon and draw.  They know it’s not going to be perfect, and they don’t care.

We should be that way about everything.  Don’t worry that the finished product won’t be perfect.  Just start and do your best.  Be proud of your what you’ve done, and most of all, be proud that you took the chance and tried.  It’s a heck of a lot more than many of us are doing.