Are you someone who battles with being a perfectionist? Or do you consider yourself a recovering perfectionist like me? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, this quote’s for you. “Being present always beats being perfect.” Can I just get this tattooed on my forehead? You may be thinking, she just said she’s a recovering perfectionist. And you’re right, that’s exactly what I said. But for me, part of being in recovery is the need for nudging and reminding. I know better, but I don’t always choose to put it into practice and do better. So that tattoo idea seems pretty perfect.  

When I think about the people I consider most relatable, caring, genuine, and compassionate, they all tend to have this quality of being fully present. And they don’t seem to give a rip about trying to be perfect. What other people may think doesn’t even seem to be a blip on their radar. It’s incredible to see it unfold. When they are “there” they are all “there.” They are ready to tune in, actively listen, encourage, and share their own challenges and struggles. They aren’t distracted or thrown off course when everything doesn’t go according to plan. In fact, they seem to thrive in an environment where they’re not sure what’s going to happen next. And they have such a knack for being able to roll with it. If things get a little messy, they don’t seem to fret either.

We need people to be present in our lives and people need us to be present in theirs. Not perfect, just present. Showing up unafraid to be who we really are and reaching out. I know from my own experience the benefits of doing this, and my suspicion is that you do, too. Since that tattoo on my forehead probably isn’t realistic, can you and I just remind ourselves to do this more often? I hope you find yourself so surprised at how much people appreciate you being present that you decide to give perfection a much needed break. Move over perfection. Being present is where our best life happens.