Progress OVER Perfection
Why You Should:
JUST START!
Right Now, As You Are.
1/27/20
I have piles of laundry, dishes in the sink, a Christmas Tree that should be taken down before it becomes February (& then it goes from kinda quirky to incredibly embarrassing… like those people who leave their decorative lights on year round. The ones memes are made of? I don’t think I’d like to be a meme.) I have lists of work, for the clients that are paying me to do a job well done. I have an achey body that’s calling out to be moved, stretched, and cared for. I have books in my queue that are beckoning me - because they’re the most enjoyable part of my day, with a hot cuppa tea placed beside me. But, I also have this insatiable desire to WRITE - to write and to make and to share whatever amount of wisdom I might have on the topic - about sustainability!
So, I write… “start writing” on my to-do list. Then my stomach grumbles and I go to the kitchen to make a hearty meal. I sit back down, “oh no! I forgot to respond to some emails earlier!” Get sidetracked. Am I procrastinating? Does it count if it’s for my own self and my own projects — not the daily needs & the client-based work? Am I avoiding this work because of those deep, dark voices in my head telling me I am not good enough - not the person to take on this task, not knowledgable in the topic, not a great writer/speaker, not wanting to come across as *bossy* - the list of anxieties growing longer every day. I know I am not alone - I can almost guarantee that all of you reading this have had at least one of these same thoughts about yourself or approaching your work...
When you mess up,
Try, try again
& again!
1/31/20
...A few days have passed since I started writing this blog. The Christmas Tree has been taken down (which resulted in me being inspired to completely reset the living room), the dishes & laundry have been clean (and replaced with more dirties), I have done a bunch of client work among many other more fun things. I have done a LOT! But, not this. The irony is not lost on me. I keep pushing back the the work I WANT to do, and the thing that the core of my being is beckoning me to do, because of a never-ending list of excuses and insecurities. Of waiting for some “perfect” time to start - which, as we all know, doesn’t exist.
So, enough is enough - I am preaching “PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION” to myself as much as anyone else! It has been a year (well, years, if I am being honest) in the making of this idea/dream. A small spark of inspiration that was barely formed and hardly viable at it’s first appearance, but has grown & grown & GROWN. Consistently tapping me on the shoulder to remind me its still there and being incredibly patient as I told it it wasn’t practical/real/right/necessary. But, it IS completely necessary for each and every one of us to follow our dreams - no matter how big or small they feel. If you have the flutter in your gut, you need to find a way to make it happen! “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman
So, what are YOUR
First Steps?
A bulleted list.
Have you thought about what you can do to be a better inhabitant on earth? To practice sustainability in your every day life? Have you heard the term “Zero Waste” and thought it was completely impossible?! Here is my simple PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION list to help get you started on this journey. And, hey, I am seriously proud of you for TAKING ACTION!
↠ progress over perfection, always!
↠ start today, with whatever you have.
↠ you don’t need to spend a bunch of money on all those fancy new containers and contraptions to start living a more #zerowaste (#lowwaste) lifestyle!!
↠ reduce + reuse (last resort: recycle)
↠ did you buy something in plastic and feel kinda guilty about it? Reuse that shit ‘til it falls apart. That makes it non-single-use plastic! That makes a big difference! (Stop beating yourself up about mistakes made, when you do that you’re more likely to give up... you’re human. It’s okay! Pick up and start again today!)
↠ go to second hand stores... they are full of treasures - there’s heaps of cloths that could be used for napkins, utensils, glasses/mugs, etc. Why the heck would you buy new (& use precious resources), when you can continue the life of something else?!
↠ just like we may need/want a workout buddy, maybe we also need our community of caring friends to help hold each other accountable! Make it fun: a package/plastic-free picnic? DIY day? Plogging in the park? (These are all things I really want to do, so who wants to join me?!)
↠ keep it simple silly! 💋 I promise you will enjoy the rewarding journey and simplicity of conscious living. (Stay tuned for another blog post in the near future telling you all about these “rewards”)
↠ let me know what you’d like to learn more about... and, follow along to stay updated on future blogs/vlogs + resources I will be sharing!
While we definitely live in a society that does not prioritize or support #ZeroWaste living practices, I have an incredible faith in human influence. There IS a huge movement happening, and changes are being made - slowly but surely. (Check out my insta story: P O S I T I V E to see what I mean!) I truly believe that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can BE THE CHANGE that we need to see in the world! Do you?
