Imperfectly Perfect

     It is election day here in the United States as I write these words.  I am feeling the intense collective energy swirling around the planet this night!  Do you feel it?  Did you feel it?  I reflected recently on my radio show/podcast Mystical Adventures how important it is for us to engage in positive and meaningful action (such as voting), but also equally important, to choose our thoughts carefully.  This is a way we tend to our overall mental-emotional state.  I believe this has deep effects on our psyches, relationships, experiences, the community, and the planet.  
     I also recently discussed on my show thoughts about staying motivated during what some may call “challenging times”, “crazy times”, or “the apocalypse”.  I discussed how taking care of our bodies, increasing social support, engaging in a spiritual practice, as well as recognizing and appreciating the bigger cycles in which we function are some ways we can increase our life energy and open ourselves to experience more inspiration.  This month, I felt I should expand this list by adding spontaneity, creativity, and embracing imperfection.  I would like to talk about the latter two, specifically:
     I sometimes use visual journaling as a way to transmute some of my own emotional angst (or the angst I absorb from others, or both).  Expressing yourself creatively is a great way to externalize overwhelming energy, thoughts, and feelings and even transform these into something meaningful.  Sometimes, even if I don’t feel creative, and I force myself to visual journal, write, or make art, it elevates my emotional state and something interesting finds its way onto the page.  Sometimes, it is not exactly interesting or worth showing to others, but it is still meaningful because it helped me to engage in a process of creative transformation.  It often requires I push through a certain wall, however.  I have come to realize this.
     I feel this relates to my experience starting a radio show/podcast, and it reminds me of the importance of facing and overcoming things like perfectionism and self-criticism when engaging in any creative endeavor.  Inspiration is closely linked with this, I believe.  If you can practice your craft, whatever that may be, in the face of lack of motivation or inspiration, in the face of self-criticism, this can lead to true inspiration.  Even a small creative gesture can get the juices flowing.  For most creatives, this means taking that step even when the inner critic is screaming in our ears that it is not good enough.  We must learn to negotiate with our inner critic.  Perfectionism can shut the whole process down.  We’ll never get to the great idea if we’re too self-critical to allow ourselves to think of ideas because we’re too afraid they’re not perfect from their inception!
     This is the key.  When we can have fun with the process and give ourselves permission to learn as we go, spontaneous and inspiring moments start to occur.  Shifting into the present moment and a curious mindset, we find ourselves appreciating the imperfect thing that just happened, that is now surprisingly funny or beautiful, that never could have been planned in our perfect scheme.
     I feel I am learning so much about letting go, trusting the process, and embracing the beautiful mistakes as they happen.  Life is so much more fun (and inspiring) when we can move towards this, isn’t it?  I hope your November is filled with beautiful mistakes and divine surprises, dear reader!  Stay safe.  Thanks for spending this moment with me.  Hope to see you at a future event!  

Namaste,
Anne