Progress Not Perfection
I wanted to tap out of this week’s Her Growth Collective because there are things I’m comfortable being vulnerable about and others I’m not, but my heart keeps leading me to write about my marriage to unpack this week’s topic of “progress rather than perfection.”
I always wanted to have that ‘ride or die’ kind of love but my marriage always felt ‘good enough,’ and I was okay with that because it felt safe. It wasn’t until we went through some heavy shit that I realized that strong marriages are truly forged through fire. Until I felt the heat of those flames and I could actually experience the growth and healing they allow, I didn’t understand that a ‘safe’ marriage wasn’t ‘good enough.’
I’m navigating waters I never saw coming and yet, I’m more grateful and grounded in myself, my marriage, and my faith because of it. The reality is that although our marriage is stronger, healthier, and happier than ever, there’s a trade-off. Our story now has some chapters in it that I would rather forget, because there’s a feeling of shame associated with the rough patches that creep in to steal my joy.
I thought I wanted a perfect marriage, free of any hardships, but what kind of life is that?!?
Why do we strive for perfection in any area of life when we hear time and time again that life begins outside of our comfort zones; that growth and healing come after the challenges; that courage is only felt by feeling the fear and doing it anyway?
What if life is about progressing towards your ‘true self,’ which often involves healing old wounds and working through our shit instead of ignoring it? What if we look at life not as a constant progression towards perfection, but as a constant journey toward who we were created to be?
How is perfection holding you back? How can you progress towards embracing your true self, in spite of shame and judgement that may creep in along the way?
This post is written in partnership with #HerGrowthCollective, encouraging women to walk the path of self-development together.
