If you think you know someone who’s perfect, think again.  Let’s face it—no one is perfect.  And people who think they’re perfect are the most boring people in the world.

My friend Sally Miller hosts a fabulous blog radio show called “Soul Sister Circle” along with two other awesome women, Jackie Williams and Desiree Cipolloni.  When you listen to their show, you feel like you’re hanging out with a bunch of girlfriends chatting over a cup of coffee.  They discuss all kinds of ways you can improve your life—such as embracing simplicity, revving up your sex life and discovering your entrepreneurial skills.

During one episode, they were talking about people who pretend that everything in their lives is perfect.  Sally chimed in “Well, perfect people are boring anyway” and I laughed so hard I spit out some of my coffee.  And while it’s funny, it’s a sad but true statement.

Think about the people you know who try to live up to the standard of being “perfect”.    Sadly, they are only setting themselves up for disappointment and failure because their goal of perfection is impossible.  And as we get older, we become less and less “perfect”.  Our bodies change, our skin becomes less resilient.  Ankles, hips and knees, that used to work flawlessly, start hurting and sometimes break down.  Our vision gets worse and we can’t hear as well.  We fight off cancer and other diseases even if it means cutting huge chunks out of our bodies or taking dangerous medications to ward off the bad stuff.

We’re far from perfect.  So why do some people strive for perfection?

People who want to be perfect are afraid.  They’re afraid to dance because they might look stupid.  They’re afraid to walk in the rain because their hair might get messed up.  They’re afraid to try something new because they might fail.  They’re just afraid.

How do you learn to abandon those fears and just be YOU?

First of all, you need to learn to like yourself.  You may think you’re not special…but you’re wrong.  Embrace all of your wonderful qualities—whether it’s your love for animals or the kindness you show to strangers.  Praise yourself often and embrace the real you.

Secondly, give yourself a break and quit being so hard on yourself.  It’s time to stop bashing your body and your mind.  Every time you do this, it’s like injecting poison into your bloodstream.

And lastly, quit judging others.  The more you judge other people, the more you judge yourself.  It’s not only unhealthy, it’s really bad karma.

So the next time it starts raining, get outside and go for a walk.  Let your hair get wet and your mascara run down your face.  It may be the best you’ve felt about yourself in a very long time.

Be Yourself and Smile,

Molly