Between 20th and 31st December, I have chosen a Quiet Disruptor post from each of the months of 2019. I hope this walking reflection on the year helps prepare us for 2020…
February – remember to bring yourself and be present, because we’re all just people
Present imperfect
Present imperfect.
An invitation to be present, even if imperfectly.
Really? Do you really mean that?
But…
So what are the other options?
Present perfect?
This is chasing illusions. Whilst we know it, we also get seduced by the cult of perfection. Of celebrities and heroes with airbrushed images and lifestyles that don’t touch the ground.
If we don’t have the courage to be truly present in the here-and-now, until we’ve achieved some level of perfection, then we’ll be waiting until eternity.
We need grace and acceptance. Giving ourselves a level of self-care that acknowledges we’re on a journey. And along the way, we need others to complete us. We can’t do it alone.
And recognise that every day is bursting with opportunities to learn and grow more as we walk forwards. With faltering steps, sometimes. And bruised knees and egos on occasions, when we didn’t live up to our expectations.
Carrying on. Moving. Growing. Maturing. Gracefully, because we can be imperfect carriers of hope in a broken world.
Absent imperfect?
Or we can opt-out.
Telling ourselves that we will wait until we are better at this quiet disruptor stuff, before taking our place in today.
Watching. Not from the sidelines, but from the back of the terraces. In the shadows, so no one sees us. Because we’re not ready. We’re not good enough.
But we will never be good enough. Never perfect enough to show up with our whole selves. Because we are human.
Our work will never be perfect. We will never have all the right words, or the unblemished attitude, or the complete answer.
Not only are we not created to be perfect – in that kind of way – but the world isn’t either. It’s changing and evolving so fast that what might be good for today will be past news for tomorrow.
Present imperfect
So we join in the ongoing creation of the world, today. Here and now. At this point in time and space. Knowing there won’t be another day like today
We choose to be present, not using ourselves as an excuse. Or getting hung up when we mess up. But instead, come with all that we are. Open to what we might hear, see and do.
And we choose to be the difference we want to see because change is a human act. Offered with generosity, kindness and conviction. Starting with us.
Imperfect people choosing to be fully present in an imperfect world.
And this is a blessing.
23rd February 2019