Perfect Ain't in the Cards

Instagram stories – it’s where I let my millennial flag really fly.) If you missed my glorious live account, here’s the story: We have new neighbors across the street, they’re really lovely people. Their mover has been having some trouble with our street, because, well, it’s a steep, windy, little mountain road. The driver scoped our driveway and decided it was a good way to turnaround. As it turns out, the wires that bring electricity and internet to our house, aren’t quite high enough for a giant moving truck to clear…womp, womp! Riiiiiiip, bye, bye electricity and internet. We were “off the grid” for approximately three hours before the good people at NYSEG brought us back to the 21st century. Poor Felix (the driver) had to wait at our place another two hours before a GIANT TOW TRUCK (I wish someone’s five year old had been around to see, it was SO cool), came and towed him out of our driveway where he was stuck in the snow. While the whole situation was not ideal, it was pretty hilarious in a National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation kind of way. The wiring and siding on our house need a little TLC, but all will be well, and no one was hurt. C’est la vie! (Side note – send good vibes to Felix, he was having a really rough day.) I feel like I’ve been having a lot of these moments lately. Moments where I’m reminded that the best laid plans will sometimes go awry, that some things just cannot be helped, and that life is gloriously (and maddeningly) messy. It’s funny, because my oft repeated – and seldom truly embraced – motto for 2017 was, “You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.” I found this wisdom somewhere on the internet last January, made it the wallpaper on my iPhone, and decided they were the words to live by this year. While I’ve definitely had moments where I’ve lived it – I don’t think I quite bought into it until recently. The last few months of 2017 have decided that I definitely need to learn this lesson and have been pulling out all the stops to make sure I get it through my thick head. I have failed this year. I’ve also succeeded. I’ve accomplished a lot, but not everything I set out to do. I was a good friend to some, and not such a good friend to others. I’ve been cranky and a pain in the ass more times than I can count. I’ve also put on a smile and made the best of some less than ideal situations. I pulled out a solid triathlon season, but I was little lazy with my training. I drank too much, but I had a lot of wonderful times with wonderful people. In short, I was not perfect, but you know what? I was pretty amazing. I feel like most of us are damn hard on ourselves. It’s easy to do. We know ourselves better than anyone, and therefore, we expect the most from ourselves. I think there’s value in the pursuit of one’s best self (I write a lifestyle blog for fun for crying out loud). I also think there’s value in loving yourself completely, as you are, right now. Don’t wait until you accomplish all your goals, hit all the milestones in your 10 year plan, give up sugar, and make TIME’s Person of Year to love yourself. Love yourself, right freaking now! Cellulite, sailor’s mouth, and all! You are amazing. I am too. And if you, like me, need the occasional reminder, you can get this lovely print on Etsy for just $4.99.        ]]>