Perfection v Growth

The Grace of Growth

“Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” – John Steinbeck

These words have been following me for a while now, weaving their way into my thoughts as I walk. They resonate in a way that demands attention, that won’t let me tuck them away in the back of my mind. Because at the heart of it, they are gently nudging me—maybe nudging all of us—to let go.  To let go of perfection.

I don’t believe perfection is a weight we were meant to carry, yet so many of us do. We grip it so tightly, convinced that if we just do everything right, we will be worthy. Worthy of love, worthy of success, worthy of belonging.

But the irony? Perfection is an impossible standard. And in chasing it, we rob ourselves of the very thing that makes us human - growth and freedom.

Mistakes will happen.  They do happen. We will fall short. We will disappoint ourselves and others. But what defines us isn’t the failure itself—it’s what we do next. It’s how we own it, how we learn from it, how we choose to move forward not as a perfect version of ourselves, but as a better person from the lessons learned.

There’s freedom in that. In knowing that we are not defined by our worst moments, but by how we rise from them.

So maybe it’s time to loosen the grip. To accept that we don’t have to be perfect to be worthy, to be flawless to be loved, to be without mistakes to be good.

Maybe being good—being real, being honest, being open and growing—is actually so much better than perfect ever could be…

#KeepMePosted #MentalFitness #WalkingAcrossAmerica #LessonsNotLosses #LetGoOfPerfect #GrowthOverPerfection