"From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put."
-Sir Winston Churchill
"Out of perfection nothing can be made. Every process involves breaking something up."
- Joseph Cambell quotes
Perfection
As we will often do in the See The Smile Challenge, let's change our opinion of a word. Today we discuss the ever sought out strife for perfection. Let's push it through the perspective filter and squeeze out a positive word on the other side.
We have to stop striving for perfection and start living. What is your definition of perfection anyway? I am not sure that I can really nail a solid meaning of the word down. I know that it is something that I certainly have not obtained. Come to think of it, I have never seen anyone else reach the summit of perfection.
Wait a minute, I just said that I didn't have a clear definition of perfection. So how can I say that I have never seen it? How can I say that I have not performed acts of perfection? Maybe I think that perfection is an end product. What if perfection is more than a mountain top of accomplishments?
Perfection for many of us has become the way that we judge ourselves. We believe that we have to measure up to a certain expectation or our perfection meter will red line. Who set this perimeter of expectation anyway? Is it your expectation or is it a perception of someone else's expectation for you? Was it a learned way of life from watching your parents ways? Maybe the strive for perfection is in reality a method to prove our worthiness. Maybe perfection is more of a fight for our identity than an end goal.
Let's stop the fight. I would like to start looking at perfection as the journey instead of the goal. I would like to start thinking of perfection as a mindset. O.K. so now we are getting somewhere. I like this definition. Let's nail this definition down. Here it is: Perfection is a mindset which is obtained every time we remember to smile. Can there be a better meaning of the word? Is there any more perfect thing on this earth than smiling at someone you love. Watch their reaction to your smile. Look at their facial features and their mannerisms. Listen to their voice and you will notice that the smile you just put on your face made them put one on theirs. You will realize how powerful a smile can be.
The next time you pass someone on the street with their head down and the word misery written on their forehead say hello and give them a genuine smile. It could change their day and maybe much more. A smile has a ripple effect. What if that person on the street that you smiled at has a change of attitude. That change of attitude would only have to last a few minutes for something incredible to happen. A decision on their part to do something that they normally would have could change the course of their life. Maybe they fill out a job application that they did not have the confidence to do. Maybe they call someone that they should have a long time ago. Maybe they call their son or daughter that they haven't talked to in years. Maybe they let fear out of the way long enough to do something amazing. The next time you pass someone on the street on your way to perfection think of this.
We can all reach this mountain top. We can all experience perfection over and over again. Watching the ripple affect of a smile is perfection. Changing your opinion of a word that did hold you in bondage is perfection. Taking a debilitating thought and turning it into a positive is perfection. Today your challenge is simple, just be perfect.
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Source by Ben Luttrell
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