Top 10 Reasons Why Imperfect Is The New Perfect You Should Totally Back Up

Nobody is perfect. Life is not perfect. And, despite the fact that we are all aware of it, it appears that we have not internalized it. Because we are all still striving to live up to the image of a perfect life that people around us or society, in general, impose on us.

Perfect being with no physical flaws, a high-achieving individual, a good education, a high-paying job, a loving spouse, well-mannered children, a large house, cars, traveling in style whenever and wherever you want, servants to cater to all your needs, and expensive things. What a (wo)man you are. What a life. Perfect.

Sadly, this kind of life can only be found online.

Out here in the real world, when you strive for the perfect you and the perfect life, you end up with a lot of frustration, worry, disappointment, and, worse, physical and mental health issues.

Sure, you can always strive for perfection. But even Jesus did not have everything.

There will always be flaws, you will find yourself lacking in something at some point or another. And that is perfectly fine.

As a wise person said,

Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It simply means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections of life.
– Unknown

The sooner you realize this, the better your life will be. Because being imperfect is the new perfect.

10 Reasons why imperfect is the new perfect

Life is fair in the sense that the good and bad things are distributed at random. It does not bestow perfection on anyone. As a result, no one has an abundance of good things, and no one is saddled with an excess of bad.

Each of us has imperfections in ourselves and in our lives. And this is the new perfect that we should all fully support and back for the following reasons.

1. It makes us human

To be imperfect is to be human.

Every one of us has flaws, physical or otherwise, which is a good thing. Because it helps us realize or further internalize the fact that it is our flaws that distinguish us and define who we are.

Letting go of the idea of perfection is a liberating experience that reveals your human side. It shows that you are not filtering, editing, or controlling your every move. A much more appealing approach, since being yourself is more fun.

And when you are being your authentic self, it is easier to connect with others. Because it is quite human for us to identify when others falter, mess up, or blunder in any way, it serves as a reminder that there are others just like us and that we should be fine.

Seeing and accepting the imperfection in yourself and others allows for more open interactions with no fear of being judged.

2. It allows for growth

Being imperfect is the new perfect in the sense that it enables us to learn and grow. It motivates us to improve, not to be perfect, but to simply get better.

It allows us to learn and develop in ourselves the qualities that we need to have a fighting chance at a good life. A life where we seek lessons from our past, are mindful to experience and enjoy each moment of our present and improve ourselves as we look forward in faith with preparation for the future.

3. Imperfect allows for graciousness

Recognizing our flaws allows us to be kind, courteous, and compassionate to others, owing to the fact that nobody is perfect.

Knowing that you have flaws will make you aware that others have flaws as well, so it pays to be more understanding and gracious about any mistakes, mishaps, or problems that may occur.

It is not about tolerating incompetence in yourself or others, but rather about allowing for learning from mistakes and growing as a result of them.

4. Imperfect promotes creativity

When everything is perfect, there is no reason to look for answers. There will be no thinking outside the box. Nothing will pique your interest. In short, life will be a pathetic repetition of sameness and perfection. Which is rather tedious. Boring.

Being imperfect, on the other hand, adds a little spice to things. It motivates you to seek solutions to problems. To look for ways to improve something. And to celebrate diversity.

You get to be creative and marvel at things you were able to solve, create, or produce. It brings color, vitality, drama, and adventure to life.

5. It paves way for humility

Knowing that you are imperfect will humble you. This is because you are aware of and acknowledge your weaknesses.

You incorporate them into your personality not to make you weak, but to identify your vulnerabilities. So you can either strengthen yourself in that area or ask for help. It is the human thing to do in either case.

Note that humility is not about making yourself inferior. Rather, it is having a healthy view of your abilities where you bank on them but do not brag about them.

It is also about being realistic about your limitations, which means admitting rather than omitting or explaining away your shortcomings. Developing humility as a result of recognizing your flaws also makes you a better person by apologizing when you are wrong and then finding a way to correct or make up for it.

6. Being imperfect fosters a grateful attitude

You get to experience lack in an imperfect world, which can help you focus and develop a deeper appreciation for the things you already have. It encourages you to shift your perspective from one of scarcity to one of abundance.

On the contrary, if everything is perfect, you will never be able to appreciate what you have because you will never experience want.

This may appear to be a good thing, but in a perfect world, you don’t get that warm feeling of realizing how valuable the things you have in life are.

When everything is perfect, you miss out on the connectedness that gratitude nurtures and strengthens. And you don’t get to feel that sense of happiness when you receive gratitude or when you have gratitude in your heart.

7. It allows you to celebrate your wins

Following on from our previous point, because things are imperfect, you are also more likely to savor and celebrate your wins, no matter how small.

When everything is perfect, you never know whether you are winning or losing. You might not even realize you are competing.

With imperfection, however, you have the ability to know that you are winning; each small step you take toward a goal or a dream, of improving or achieving something, is cause for celebration. After all, it’s a win for your imperfection getting a little better.

8. You are more accepting of differences

Each of us is unique because of our imperfections. Knowing this and accepting yourself for your flaws and uniqueness will pave the way for you to accept differences in others and what sets them apart from you.

This acceptance also opens up opportunities for deeper understanding, interaction, and connection.

9. You learn to be more forgiving

When you realize that nobody is perfect, you become more aware of your imperfections and that of others. Given that, you will also come to understand that mistakes will happen.

And, as previously stated, it is not about tolerating mistakes, but rather accepting that mistakes are unavoidable. So, rather than berating or punishing yourself or others, your best option is to forgive.

Knowing and trusting that forgiveness, understanding, and compassion will lead to growth and learning.

10. You will be happier

When there are imperfections in the world, you are more likely to appreciate the happiness you feel when things go well. After experiencing frustration, turmoil, sadness, grief, worry, or stress when things go wrong, you will notice the difference and genuine happiness when things go right.

Because you were able to overcome the hardships, challenges, and obstacles along the way, your accomplishments will be even sweeter and more heartfelt.

However, if everything were perfect, there would be no way to express how you feel because there would be no imperfection to compare it to.

Are you better off imperfect?

Having read the 10 reasons why imperfect is the new perfect, the question is, are you better off being imperfect?

The short answer is a resounding yes. If only to save yourself from the agony of constant frustration, worry, struggle, and feeling like a total failure in the pursuit of perfection.

But even more so because acknowledging your imperfections allows for growth and learning. It entails accepting yourself for who you are, molding yourself into a better version of yourself, and enjoying the process.

Because when you let go of striving for social and cultural “perfection,” you free yourself from constraints to follow your own path. You have the opportunity to be creative in the pursuit of your goals and dreams.

Finally, imperfection allowed you to go through a lot of hardships, challenges, loneliness, and complete failure on your path to improvement. As a result, you get to experience the genuine happiness, satisfaction, and self-worth that come from finally succeeding despite your flaws.

Closing

As it is, imperfections in this life are not something that we should be afraid of or ashamed of. On the contrary, you should see your imperfections as your own identifier. Your own little marker of who you are. A unique individual in a world full of individuals who are also unique in themselves.

These imperfections in ourselves are actually what connect us. We identify with other people’s differences, showing what makes us human, and making each of us more approachable and relatable.