You are perfect just the way you are!
Now that I am a Nana to some pretty spectacular grand-daughters, this is a sentiment that I express on a regular basis. And I absolutely mean it. Those girls are perfection and I will never believe otherwise. Just ask them! You may get a bit of an eye roll from the teenager but no argument that their Nana is their number one fan!
That being said, they are probably the only two people in the universe where that is true! It’s not true for me or frankly, even my daughter, the mother of those delightful gals. I am constantly finding ways to improve myself and as for my daughter, while she’s my joy, I’ve always focused on her potential and see her through that lens even still.
When you consider potential vs. perfection, potential may actually be the better of the two lenses. In fact we all know that it is. We all need someone that is our champion. That sees the perfection in us at the moment. But more importantly, we need perspective and we need to do always be pushing toward possibilities. As an author, one of my favorite quotes of all times actually speaks to this and comes from Emily Dickinson: “Dwell in possibility.” This is a truly fantastic way to live; to see the world and ourselves.
September is self-improvement month: A perfect time for us to actually create a plan for that pursuit of possibilities. With that said, where would you begin? Allow me to offer a thought with you here to help. Don’t make a list. Don’t start there. That simply does not work because we then starting thinking in probabilities instead of possibilities. Instead choose one thing, one area of your life where you want to see improvement. It can be a personal discipline, a relationship, a skill. But choose one and begin there. Just focus there. Then choose one action you can take immediately and one continuous action you can take or change over time. And begin there. That’s the “secret sauce” if there is any. Skip the analysis on this one and go right with your instinct and pick one. Because the good news is that you’ll be able to pick another one. And quickly! So don’t worry about whether or not it’s the “right” choice. Just make “a” choice and get started.
Self-improvement is our fuel. That is because the only motivation in life that works every time is this: Progress. So let’s create some progress. And with that, we are creating motivation for more. And we are well on our way to achieving more of those possibilities!
Live (improve) today like you want tomorrow to be. Live (improve) well!