Practice Makes Progress.

Stop striving for perfection. It doesn't exist. Instead, strive for progress. When we say "practice makes perfect," we set people up for failure. We place expectations of perfection on areas of our lives in which perfection is unattainable, leaving us constantly feeling like we are falling short.

Instead, let's rewrite this phrase. Let's say: "practice makes progress." Life is not about getting to a place of being perfect, it's about progressing to be your best self. Becoming your best self does not mean you are flawless, it means you work to improve yourself to be as successful as possible. It means you learn and grow from your mistakes, shortcomings, and failures. Your best self means you are happy, healthy, focused, disciplined, and fulfilled. Being your best self means you are doing the things that make YOU happy, regardless of what society says or expects of you.

We, as a society, are constantly striving for perfection. We try to live seemingly perfect lives on social media. We try to eat a perfect diet, create the perfect workout plan, get perfect grades, wear the most perfectly crafted clothing, have perfect skin, have a perfect body, live in a perfect house, have a perfect family dynamic. We think being "perfect" equates to being successful. This could not be further from the truth. Life is not about being perfect. Life is about making progress.

Progress over perfection. You are not going to be perfect. You are going to make mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over them. Work on your weaknesses, work on different skills, work on your character, work on yourself. But don't work for perfection. Don't set the bar at perfection and place an unreasonable pressure on yourself. I promise you don't want to be perfect. You don't want to feel like you constantly need to chase perfection. You don't want to feel like you're always falling short.

Trust me, I know what it's like. As a competitive gymnast, a high achieving student, and an ambitious individual, I have always strived for perfection. Good never seemed quite good enough for me until I realized I didn't need to be perfect to please anyone else. I simply needed to try my best and be my best self, seeking happiness and good health, not flawlessness. At the end of the day, if you are practicing how to be happy with who you are, making progress in your own life, and creating a better world in general ... that's all that matters. Eliminate the idea of perfection and remember that practice makes progress.

Xoxo,

Kaci