Wellness Does Not Mean Perfection
Photography by Chad Savage of my loving friend Jess
The photographs in this post are from a retreat in Guatemala I attended with my best friend Jess. Our instructors, Bri and Rachel, asked us to use charcoal as our method to depict our “barriers to creativity.” Charcoal was intentionally chosen because the medium is messy and the point is not to be perfect. Actually, using this medium teaches you perfection doesn’t even matter. It teaches you that the process of putting something on paper is the point. The process continues again and again over time on different papers and mediums, and none of it is meant to be perfect.
Think about removing the word “perfection” from your vocabulary. Wouldn’t that feel good? Is there even a single thing that is objectively perfect? I would argue that there is not. One human may have an idea of perfection, and a another has a completely different idea. It is worth mentioning that Mother Nature creates perfection everywhere on this planet, but all these creations are still flawed in some way; thats what makes them unique and awe-filled.
What if you decided to throw the phrase “perfectly imperfect” out of your vernacular? Doesn’t this imply that there’s even a “perfect” way to be imperfect? I wonder how this word or phrase actually helps us. I believe that the words do more harm than good. There are descriptors in many languages that are better than “perfect.” Here are a few:
Wabi-Sabi (Japanese) — “Finding beauty in imperfections.”
Duende (Spanish) — “A work of art’s mysterious power to deeply move a person”
Bilita Mpash (Bantu) — “An amazing dream that’s not just good, but the complete opposite of a nightmare”
Shemomedjamo (Georgian) — “When a meal is so delicious and flawless, and you can’t stop eating it. Translates to: I accidentally ate the whole thing.”
Being in the wellness world, I hear the word “perfect” a lot. “Practice makes perfect;” “how to achieve perfect skin;” “a perfect yoga class for your shoulders;” “this is a perfect exercise for your abs;” “make this perfect vegan recipe to heal your gut.” Now I am sure many of the folks that have used this kind of language did not mean for the word to be that deep. However, I think it is. Using these terms in marketing prey on the desperate or misinformed. Using these terms idealize the notion perfection exists. Using these terms create the illusion that perfection is achievable, and it’s something you are not. It is sending the message that you need to be more because you are not enough.
Being “well” does not mean being perfect. This is unattainable, impossible even, and you don’t deserve that kind of pressure. Wellness is a continuous set of choices over the course of a lifetime that will hopefully lead to a better quality of life. Wellness also means that some days there is nothing to be done, but rest.
Wellness also means set backs; night of partying, sleeping without brushing your teeth, smoking a random cigarette, gaining weight, or having acne. Wellness serves you, not the other way around. As people, we ebb and flow through life, and focusing solely on ourselves for a lifetime is also impossible unless you’re Beyoncé or something. Even she had a challenging second pregnancy, and her own struggles. Reformat how wellness aligns with your life and what it means for you.
It can sometimes be a difficult path, and that's okay. Commitment and will power is needed, but the path is about coming home to yourself over and over again. There is no perfect way to support wellness in your life, and it is okay to make mistakes. That is how we learn and continue to redirect our focus based on our needs. Wellness is also loving who you are in this present moment. Wellness is not perfection.
