Many of us are familiar with the idea famously put forth by Louise Hay that we are all perfect, whole and complete.  We need to do nothing in order to be that way – we always automatically are. I do my best to remember this but there are times when it can be more challenging than others. 

This morning, I looked in the mirror and saw that I have developed a rather large blemish right between my eyes. Fabulous.  Now, every time I pass the mirror, what do I see?  Do I see a confident, radiant, loving woman with a powerful message and the drive to make a difference in the world?  No!  I see a big, ugly, distracting zit!  For a moment, a private conversation takes hold of me.  It goes something like this…

“You have got to be kidding! This is not the way it’s supposed to be!  I am an adult, not a teenager! Why am I still getting breakouts?  This isn’t fair! I am supposed to have flawless skin!  I have meetings today!  How can I possibly be effective and get my message across when all anybody can see is this huge thing on my face? And how come my pants look so tight! Oh, my gosh, its the muffin top!  And my hair!  How did it grow that much in a week! It looks like I haven’t had my color done in months!  I can’t leave the house like this! I look like a slob! I will have to reschedule!  I can’t believe this is happening!” 

Now, obviously this is a bit of an exaggeration, but our private conversations do often go like this, don’t they?  When I come from a place that something is wrong, suddenly, everything is wrong!  Suddenly, all I see is the giant pimple on my face and I become consumed by the fears of being judged by others. I complain about it, try to cover it, conceal it or hide - it but it won’t be hidden.  It will probably be even more visible because my attempts at disguise will serve only to draw more attention to it. Furthermore, the stress I create in myself by resisting what is so will probably result in another breakout. What a silly thing to do!  What a tremendous amount of energy to spend on something so small. But don’t we all go there sometimes?

When I come from a place that there is something wrong, suddenly, everything is wrong!  When I notice the blemish, judge it as imperfect and resist it, I put myself into a place of imperfection and resistance. Since my ego’s job is to make me right about what I believe, guess what I see?  Imperfection everywhere!  I see it in myself, in my home, with my family, in my career – suddenly nothing is good enough!  My spouse’s offhand comment is not heard as a joke but as a criticism and I find myself angry with him for judging and criticizing me. But wait!  Who was the one judging and criticizing? Him? Or me? 

Steven Covey said, “We see the world not as it is but as we are.”  This is a great truth.  When I am “imperfect”, so is my world.  When I believe “there is something wrong” about my job, my spouse, my self or the world, I will find evidence to support that belief.  Each bit of evidence will confirm that belief and I will find more and more until eventually, I can see nothing but what is wrong – even when perfection stares me in the face.

There is another way. I can embrace everything as “perfect” – because that is how it is and can be no other way right now.  Then I am able to accept and embrace what is going on around me, even if it is not how I would prefer it to be.  I feel peace and power rather than anxiety and discontent.  When I come from a place that all is as it should be, then I am able to see the perfection in myself, in the world and in my life. The idea of perfection is not one that is superior to or better than others.  It is acceptance that all is as it should be.  I can be perfect and still learn, grow and change – because it is our nature to do so. I can be perfect and have goals. My life – and indeed the world around me - can be a perfect work in progress.

When I come from a place of perfection, the world looks entirely different. There is beauty all around and there is possibility everywhere I look. When I come from a place of perfection, I am able to realize that in reality, I am probably the only one who even notices the blemish.  I am certainly the only one who cares enough to spend this much time thinking about it!  

No one scrutinizes me and judges me quite as harshly as I judge myself. 

Sure, others may notice the blemish.  Sure, they may judge me.  But does the presence of a pimple negate my message? That’s preposterous!  In fact, its presence may very well help me make my point!  What a great opportunity to be completely, utterly, radiantly me, sharing my message about true beauty coming from the inside and radiating out, all the while having a huge, angry pimple right in the middle of my face! It is not necessary for me to be excited about this opportunity, just accepting of it.  I am perfect, whole and complete just as I am; wrinkles, blemishes, roots, cellulite and all – I am a beautiful, powerful, passionate visionary and I am perfect exactly as I am.  Perfectly imperfect.