Perfection

Hi ladies! Today, Caroline from Surviving High School and Life will be guest posting for me about perfection. I think the topic is something most of us can relate to. Enjoy! xx

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Perfection.  By definition it means, 'the condition, state, or quality of 

being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.'  Now, obviously, no one is perfect.  I try to be perfect, but ultimately end up only hurting myself in the end.  I probably have been searching for perfection for awhile.  I didn't realize that perfection is just a crazy dream until last year.  I have been a total over-achiever for a long time now.  It's just who I am.  I'm an over-achiever who was searching for total perfection.

But last year my friend, W*, made me face the truth.  He told me 

one night when I was studying for some big test that: Perfection is Overrated.  In the back of my mind, I knew that all this time.  But I just needed a good friend to finally open my eyes to what I was doing to myself.  I was pushing myself to my maximum limits.  Which is a blessing and a curse.  I pushed myself to the point where I was the best of the best.  But I also pushed myself to a point where I was standing at the edge of the abyss ready to jump into the bottomless pit of just working.

I think then was when I realized I needed to do more with friends.  If 

I remember correctly, that was about the time when I was getting ready for states for PJAS, finals, graduation, planning two big dances, award nights and trying to balance other stuff in my personal life.  But I wanted to have more fun also.  So I worked on everything I wanted to accomplish plus other stuff that took me out of my comfort-zone.  I went out for dinner with friends more,  didn't spend every weekend just worrying about school, but mainly just took a more open mind to everything I did during my day.  I ended up really enjoying myself for the last bit of the school year and still graduate top of my class.  (Not to brag.)

I'm not sure how I did it.  I just realized what was important in my life. 

No really big or philosophical changes were made in my life.  I just stepped back and tried to figure out how to almost have perfection.  I think that we sometimes add a level of stress to our lives because we think it's too easy.  Everyone thinks that school has to be hard if you want to be successful.  It doesn't necessarily have to be hard or lots of work.  I think you sometimes need hard work.  But what made me successful in school was the fact that I actually enjoy school.  I like school and learning and hard work.  I thrive on a sense of accomplishment.  I know I won't be able to get 105% on very test.  But I can be a very good student while still having the time and energy to do other things I love to do.

I don't want to come off as the teenager who hates society, but I 

think celebrities put too much pressure on teens and young adults now a days to be perfect.  I know that I recently went searching for a homecoming dress.  But I didn't want something that was perfect.  I knew that I would never be able to find a perfect dress.  My perfect dress would probably cost a few thousand dollars. (Knowing my pickiness!) So instead I looked for a dress that was age-appropriate and reasonably priced.  And I did actually find a dress that was perfect for the occasion.  It met all of the criteria I had for a dress and was an amazing price!  (As in an unreasonable price!)

I think everything is going to have flaws if we are searching for flaws.  

The only way to avoid seeing the flaws are to keep an open mind.  The one priest from my grade school once told me one of the best qualities about me is that I am able to see the simplest things as beautiful gifts from God.  I like to think that is my best quality... The ability to see the beauty in everything and every little detail.  

Sometimes perfection exists.  You just have to be open to it...