December 17, 2024
Practice, Not Perfection
Yoga has been an important part of my life for years, yet it was only recently that I figured out the true meaning behind it being called a practice. When I first began, I was using hot power yoga as a means of exercise. It provided me with an opportunity to move, sweat, and build strength.
While I loved the quiet rest at the end of Shavasana (also known as the corpse pose), I only enjoyed it after a vigorous set of flowing poses that worked my muscles and got my heart pumping.
As a beginner, I did my best to keep up with the class and replicate the poses the yogi was teaching us. Then came an unexpected surgery that forced me to slow down and take a pause from yoga sessions.
After the surgery, my exercise was simply walking, which I did several times a day, but I could not wait to get back to a steaming hot yoga room. It would be more than six months before I was able to return to my mat.
When I got the green light to return to yoga, I was a hot mess. Despite the physical therapy and walking, my body was much weaker. I was less flexible, and I was a hell of a lot slower. It didn’t take me long to realize that power yoga was out of the question.
During that time, I signed up for some slower classes to get the poses and movement in. Even if it was a less intense workout. Despite the fact that I could not execute a proper pose or even touch the floor without bending my knees, I figured it was better than nothing.
By slowing down, I was forced to face my limitations head on. My need for healing, my new level of exercise, and the self-acceptance of my physical and emotional scars .
Perfecting my power yoga postures was out of the question with my latest set of physical limitations.
I had to adapt to the changes in my body.
During this period of my journey, I could perfect a pose on one side but not the other. Or, not two days in a row. And sometimes not at all. Which was not uncommon.
I had to listen to my body and honor it, no matter how it showed up on the mat on any given day.
Then, I had the realization that yoga was about practice, not perfection.
The practice of simply showing up for myself was enough, even if that meant sitting in a child’s pose and just breathing for the entire class.
It was time for me to focus on practice, not perfection.
The yoga instructor’s words during class began to take on more meaning for me, both emotionally and spiritually.
“Be aware of your body and its sensations.”
“Be aware of your breath.”
“It’s okay to be wobbly, just try. You got this and are building strength.”
Practice, not perfection.
Perfection is not only way overrated; it doesn’t even exist. What one person deems perfect, you may not. It is like beauty; it lives solely in the eye of the beholder and varies from person to person.
Perfection is relative to perception. My perfect house may be a log cabin on a lake, while your dream house is on a farm with a picket fence.
Here’s the thing: Our society places too much emphasis on being perfect.
Every day, we are bombarded by photoshopped images on social media. We are all about the trappings of outward success and effortlessly achieving every impossible goal, even in childhood.
What’s the result for us as adults? Increased stress and tension, anxiety, and fatigue. Accompanied by negative self-talk and loss of confidence as we chase the unattainable.
None of which supports our health and overall wellness.
In a study conducted by psychologists from Bath and St. John University, which followed students for almost thirty years, they found that reported stress and anxiety doubled from 9% to 18% in a cohort of 40,000 people between 1989 and 2017.
Why? Because we measure ourselves by what we achieve and succeed at rather than what gives us meaning and happiness in our lives.
This misstep often results in fear of failure, so we stop trying or become perfectionists.
It is so sad when we forget that life is a journey and not a destination called “perfect.”
We get stuck. And without challenge, there is no growth or opportunity to learn and develop as a person.
Practice, not perfection. That has become my new mantra.
My goal is to show up for myself each day, try my best, and accept what I can achieve in this moment. I want to let go of my perfectionism tendencies and be kinder to myself.
Well, at least I am going to try, and you should, too.
Love and Light,
Jackie
What are your thoughts about the concept of perfection? We would love to hear your view—share your comments below! Don’t forget to join our community and explore more resources by connecting with us at www.deleaninstitute.com
Sources
Psychology Spot, “The Word Perfect Doesn’t Mean What You’ve Always Been Told – and it’s Important to Know,” www.psychologyspot.com
Singhi, Kshama, “The Dark Side of Perfection – How ‘Picture Perfect’ Can Mess Up Your Life,” February 6, Brainz Magazine, www.brainzmagazine.com
Spina Horan, Kailey, “10 Signs of a Problem with Perfectionism,” September 29, 2021, Psychology Today, www.psychologytoday.com
