Tuesday, April 10, 2012

"I" is for Imperfections? Ideas?...perhaps 'I don't know...'

perceptions + quotes + reality =
A to Z Challenge

 

I had a perplexing time determining an idea for letter ‘I’ although the subsequent terms came to mind; imperfections, inadequate, insufficient. Interesting, yes?
What made this letter more difficult than all the rest and what I knew would eventually catch up with me in this challenge is my desire to be perfect. Most times, or a lot of times, or some of the time I can pacify, soothe and appease this robust yearning to be flawless and faultless. I really thought I would find the most awesome word for letter “I” and the ensuing words would spill onto the paper.

URGH, but no, not this time as my impeccable and undulating desire to please was hindering me to settle for anything less than perfection- NOPE, imperfect was not a viable option.
You see, I have hundreds, or thousands of ideas in my head for most occassions; as we all do but long ago, decided that’s exactly where they are the safest. If they remain tucked inside my cranium no one can critique me, ridicule me or cast me aside because they don’t favor my idea, therefore my thoughts and my impressions and yes, my ideas stay neatly tucked away inside this skull.

So if you have any ideas to curb perfectionism, I’m all approachable, I think!
I don't know.... maybe I am~

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.”

By Buddha

32 comments:

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Good I post, thought provoking and good to read.

Yvonne.

Old Kitty said...

Oh Tracy!!!! Let those ideas out!!! Out out out!!
:-)

Take care
x

Wanda's Wings said...

I just know you are full of Ideas!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I hope you're letting some of those ideas out once in a while though! :-)

Cristina said...

I had a hard time with I as well... and ended up writing a post full of I words that made no sense, LOL

Hart Johnson said...

Yeah, I sort of snowed down on me, too--so much potential. Though impeccable didn't occur to me... it is one that doesn't suit me well. I am more an 'eh, close enough' girl.

Fuzzy Tales said...

No "ideas," just a quote I really like:

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." -Michael J. Fox

Tonja said...

Perfectionism sucks. I think finding something that you know really is perfect or great in your idea. Focus on that. And remember nothing is perfect. Not ever.

Unknown said...

"J" is my tough letter so far.... I agree with the others, though, you should let those ideas out! Perfectionism is impossible to achieve, and it will hamper your "individuality"! I love the quote by Buddha, glad you included it!
Dawn

Bish Denham said...

To think you can be perfect is to be imperfect, because there is no such thing as perfection in humans. We are works in progress. It is our imperfections that give life both its joys and sorrows. How dull life would be if we were all perfect.

Among the Navajo people when they wove a rug they always put in a deliberate mistake because they felt only the Creator was perfect.

Rejoice in your imperfections, they are what make you unique in the world.

Out on the prairie said...

I is for the individual in you we all like to read.

Paula Martin said...

Interesting ideas!

Sherry Gloag said...

What you consider as Imperfection may be 'Inspiration' for someone else.

Julie Flanders said...

Oh, I can really relate to this. It was only when I started writing that I became at all confident about sharing ideas. When it comes to verbally sharing, I still clam up.

Great post as always, Tracy.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I have so many ideas flying through my brain that I worry that there will be a collision. :)

Teresa

MunirGhiasuddin said...

Your ideas came out in the form of a beautiful book that I am waiting to pass down to my grand kids. I hope that you will put on paper some of those ideas that you are keeping tucked away in your mind.

TexWisGirl said...

ha ha. sometimes i hate being human... :)

Annalisa Crawford said...

Ideas deserve to be free!

Gail M Baugniet - Author said...

Perfectionism went out the window for me when I decided to enjoy life rather than try to mold it into "my own likeness". What is perfectionism if not each person's desire to change whatever does not conform to his or her own beliefs? We all know what perfectionism meant to Adolph Hitler.
http://gail-baugniet.blogspot.com Theme: A World of Crime

Beverly Diehl said...

Many writers will tell you "just write, even if it's crap."

Prolific author Nora Roberts went better and explained, "You can fix crap. You can't fix a blank page."

The blog post I write today is better than the ones I wrote a year ago, because I have grown, changed, learned stuff. In anything, practice and keeping at it is the only way we get anywhere. Sure, some of your ideas may be crap. But they may, once you throw 'em out there and start writing them, lead you to something terrific.

Kathy said...

Imperfections are what makes us individually perfect! Loved you 'I' post and thanks for visiting mine.
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images

Tracy Jo said...

I hear you on this one! It took me awhile to let mine out and to be comfortable doing it BUT I will tell you...it is SO worth it. Especially out here...this community is so supportive. So let it FLOW!!!! :-)

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Well--you are talking to the wrong person about this... My weight problem 'made' me work a trillion hours a week--trying to be as perfect as I could be... Since my weight made me appear to be 'lazy'---I wanted to prove people wrong by working as hard as possible to achieve the very best...

These days, with George's love, I have learned for the first time in my life that I can be ME---imperfect --but happy... Being perfect is no longer a 'goal' inside of me... It's all about realizing that we are all human and flawed ---and that we are all unique and special in God's eyes. It's just coming to the realization that we are special --just the way we are.....

Hugs,
Betsy

Lisa Southard said...

I used to advocate heavy drinking sprees as a way of losing perfectionism, and there's nothing to keep you humble like falling over in public. No one looks to you for perfection after that! This was an idea that maybe I shouldn't have voiced, let alone tried. But mostly if you aren't brave now, you will regret it more than any hangover. We learn best by mistakes, so please don't be afraid. You can't possibly look or sound as stupid as I have managed :-)

Jaime said...

One thing that has helped me is not worrying about what others think of me. Life's too short to worry about being ridiculed. People who really care about you won't care if you're not perfect:)

Connie said...

I struggle with this sometimes too. I keep things to myself because I don't want anyone to judge my thoughts. I'm getting better about not worrying so much about what other people think, though. Nice post! :)

50 foot QE said...

Imperfection is a beautiful goal, especially now in the year 2012 where perfection is so killing.

They say "The devil is in the details" and to me that means that the impulse to be perfect is not a very divine.

Thanks for the post.

jan said...

Thanks for visiting me at
'begin...begin again".

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything."--Eugene Delacroix. Just sayin'.

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

Oh, I know nothing about reaching for perfectionism! LOL If I had the answer for curb perfectionism, I would share it with you. I really would!

I love the creative way you weave the "i's" throughout your thought-provoking post. Please let those ideas out. There are many individuals who want to read them!

Linda Reeder said...

perfectionism is also my curse. But I have learned that since I am my own worst critic, if I can please myself, I don't really need to worry about anyone else.
I hope this is some Inspiration!

The Writing Goddess said...

Everytime I think somebody appears flawless... I tend to hate/resent him or her. I either am filled with envy, or a sense of, "That's BS. I know that stuff ain't real."

So if you want people to REALLY admire you, be openly flawed - and succeed anyway.

Jules said...

There is no such thing as imperfect. These so-called defects are what make us perfectly who we are. So why doom your ideas to "Isolation?" :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow