Flaw-nt Yourself: How To Be Imperfect And Love It

Let's face it: no one's perfect- and that's a good thing.There are so many people out there hiding their true selves because they are scared for others to see their faults.  What they don't realize, however, is that this quest to be perfect is unobtainable- everyone has flaws and always will. But that's what makes every human being so interesting!Take a second to think about your favorite movie character-is he/she perfect?  No!  Every interesting hero, villain, and sidekick has flaws, and THAT'S what makes him interesting.What makes heroes so attractive is watching how they OVERCOME whatever struggles they're dealing with.  The heroes are the ones that find a way to grow from the experience, which is what we are all aiming to do ourselves.Being comfortable with your imperfections is an extremely uncomfortable thing to do at first.  So let's go over ways that might make it less daunting for you to ease your way into it.

Accept the "flaws" that make you YOU

Everyone has their own unique way of seeing and enjoying life.  These traits are what set us apart and keep the world from being boring!One thing to remember is that some "flaws" in your personality might actually be charms.  Think you're geeky?  So am I!  There's a whole community of people that thrives on their geekiness- just check out NerdFitness.com and Nerdist.com!When I accepted the fact that I love cartoons and superhero movies like most adolescent boys do, it was like I was releasing part of the real me.  By freeing myself from the idea that I was "supposed" to be any certain way and allowing me to be me, I attracted more like-minded people, and have had a more interesting life because of it!  And best of all, I don't feel like I'm hiding myself anymore- these people like me for me.Stop thinking of your uniqueness as a personality defect and OWN it!You'll feel a sense of relief and finally be able to start living your life feeling like YOU.

"The Shackles"

The flaws that keep you from enjoying life fully (such as extreme shyness, pessimism, or an inability to relax) are what I like to call "The Shackles."  These nasty buggers try to trap us in a negative space that cycles downward as it feeds off our doubts.  The shackles tell us that we're not good enough to achieve our ideal life.Here, we're going to show those shackles who's boss:  we're going to start loosening them up and eventually get out of them completely.

Face down the flaws that hold you back in life

Accept whatever flaw you have as a part of life- everyone encounters them- and see it as a challenge to overcome and grow as a person.By admitting and seeing the flaw for what it is, you can start opening up paths to the solutions, rather than getting caught up in the helplessness that's caused by ignoring it.Overcoming my pessimism was one of the hardest things I've ever done, and it still tries to rear its ugly little head in my life sometimes.  By recognizing it, I was able to look it in the eye and ask myself, "How can I banish this little bastard for good?"  When I started acknowledging my negative thoughts, I was able to focus on replacing them with positive ones (thank you, cognitive behavioral therapy!), and start changing my thinking patterns.  Now, when pessimism tries to poke it's head into my life, I know how to handle it.When you switch from ignoring your faults to facing them down, you take away their power over you.  Take back the reins so that you can do something about them!

Be your own hero- tackle your shackles

Now that you've come face to face with your shackles, how do you get from imprisoned to liberated?  I suggest starting to look at the flaw as a problem that simply needs to be solved.What actions can you take that would directly challenge that flaw?If you're extremely shy, maybe it's talking to a stranger in line at the coffee shop today.  Just small talk: "Awesome shoes, man," will suffice.If you're a pessimist, start noticing your negative thoughts and views, and start looking for the silver lining in small things that seem to go "wrong."  Cloudy outside?  Great day for a run!  Really don't want to go to work today?  Make yourself a delicious, healthy lunch to take with you so that you have something to look forward to when you get there!If you have a hard time relaxing, try doing a long slow workout of a repetitive activity to calm your mind (running, walking, rowing, elliptical-ing), or try just scheduling an hour to do nothing.  Literally, pencil it into Outlook. Time: 1 hour.  Subject: Nothing.  CC: Yourself.All of these steps are small, and will help you break through the initial discomfort of loosening your shackles, eventually leading to bigger steps.  Those things have been on you for quite a while- your ankles might feel a little funny without those cuffs!Remember: discomfort is not necessarily a bad thing- your brain is only comfortable with what it knows and expects.Time to familiarize it with the real you.It will thank you later. :)What shackles are you gonna throw off this week?  Post them here, and I'll do the best I can to help!Now go!  Be free!  I dare you!Amy