I am teaching an online Mac Training class and, in addition to the live group classes, we have a private Facebook page where students can ask questions, share successes and post photos of their progress.
After the first module about organizing files and folders, each student was asked to post a before and after photo of their Desktop on the Facebook page. One student wanted to be sure the photos wouldn’t post on her personal page for all of her friends to see, because she didn’t want them to see the before photo.
It made me realize how, so often, we only want to show people our successes. And yet, when we reveal our struggles, our imperfections, our own vulnerability, people are able to connect, be vulnerable themselves, and see the possibility of growth.
A very talented artist friend is taking her first oil painting class. She posts her works in progress on her Facebook page, even though she struggles with the curve of a neck or getting the eyes just right. By sharing her imperfect work, we are able to connect with her on a more vulnerable level than if she only posted her finished masterpieces.
If we only saw the cleaned off desktops, we might think we’re a failure because ours is so messy. But, by seeing the before and after, we’re offered a path, a light of hope, a feeling of, well, she did it, maybe I can too.
By sharing where we’ve been, what we’ve come from, what struggles we are moving through, we become a model, a mentor, a cheerleader for those who are ready to follow their own path.
How can you show up imperfectly and be OK with it?
Thoughts? Comments? Please share by clicking on the comments below.
Ruth,
This post was perfectly timed! I just sent off a VERY rough audio file of a song + harmonies that I am playing with to someone I know and trust.
Sending off an audio file of this song/me singing used to be something I fretted over, that I worked to “perfect” before sending. This file is full of ideas, creative spark, and isn’t perfect. It’s an audio snapshot of the process I am going through to create it….
In reading your post, I realize I’ve done something more than just get past my need for perfection, I’m sharing with someone else, that it’s ok to be in the process of creating something wonderful (still, not perfect:)
Thanks for the mirroring!
Karen
Bravo to you, Karen! I love how you are able to know that, in its imperfection, it is full of ideas, creative spark! It’s all about the process, the journey!
As a writer, one of the first things you hear is that you need to edit edit edit and edit some more. And I do, and I accept that when I send out a story, or post it on my blog, there are always going to be imperfections. It’s built into writing itself.
As a poet, I send out my imperfections out as they come. I never edit poetry, other than fixing a spelling error I catch just before posting. I know my poetry needs to be raw and imperfect so the emotions I felt when writing are fresh to be experienced.
As a human being, I am very unfiltered. I can’t help it, I just have to show everything I feel. Sometimes it’s sadness and then it’s shared too. The funny thing is, that I get more responses when I share my sadness than when I share my joy. I keep sharing both though, mostly joy, in abundance!
Sylvia, how wonderful that you share ALL of you! Thank you!