I’m a new blogger and in many ways I’m a new crafter, sewing enthusiast, photographer, stylist and filmmaker (among so many other things). These past few weeks I’ve struggled. I wear many hats and among them I run a boutique communications business, Red Hen Writing. I’m also mum to a very active toddler. I love it but sometimes it leaves little room for my other loves — such as Make + Do.
I started blogging because I needed a space to produce content that I ‘wanted’ to produce, rather than content that I was ‘told’ to produce. I went to my first ProBlogger Training Event in August and I met some amazing bloggers: both newbies and old hands. I came away feeling enthused about all the things I *should* be doing to make my blog better. I made lists, plans, goals, and then…
Nothing.
I became overwhelmed with all the things I should be doing — needed to be doing — to make Make + Do perfect and I was paralysed.
Then I started the comparisons. This is not a good thing.
I want Make + Do to reflect the things that make my heart sing. However: I’m new, I make mistakes and I’m still learning.
I’m not going to beat myself up over the things I’m not. Today, I’m fighting my fear and embracing the art of wabi-sabi: the Japanese philosophy of being perfectly imperfect.
An open window, my newly painted turquoise desk and a posy of freshly foraged paper daisies makes my work days pretty and fun!
As part of that, I’m sharing some photos of my workspace. It’s clean and spacious and minimalist but that’s as much ‘styling’ as I can do. It’s not perfect.
My desk is an old extension dining table that I repainted. I made mistakes that are obvious. I painted over scratches without sanding the surface back. I didn’t apply the paint fast enough and there are some rough sections. My toddler *helped* me and there are still some odd marks where I let her do her thing.
All of these things make this desk less than perfect.
Each of those imperfections tell a story. A beautiful story that only I can decipher. As I work I can see those perfect imperfections and it makes me stupidly happy. Include some bright paper daisies I foraged yesterday afternoon, my favourite editing pens, and my white headphones popping out against the turquoise table-top, my camera and my laptop and it makes my day complete.
Not perfect, no, yet perfect in its imperfection.
So today I embrace wabi-sabi. I will keep striving to be just a little better than yesterday, but I promise, I will slow down enough to see the wind tugging at the imperfect petals cheering me on in their yellow-ness.
Because — after all — life’s most beautiful stories reside in the imperfections.
Oh what a wonderful post, Lisa! It’s joyful and accepting and hopeful – and we all need more of it all in our lives!
I needed your lovely words to build me up 🙂
Oh Anya – thank you! I’m so glad to know that my words helped you xx
Love it Lisa, love the photos, keep doing what you’re doing, who needs perfection, perfect is boring.
Thank you 😀 Being perfect is very boring indeed!
This is such a wonderful post. You know imperfection is the new black, right? Wabi-sabi is my new favourite thing <3
Love it, Sarah. Imperfection is the new black! I’m so glad to hear that I’m finally ‘fashionable’ 😉
Couldn’t agree more. I’m so over perfection. And competition and comparison. Like you I’m just taking in the small things that make my heart sing – the wabi-sabi. Love it!
Thank you Deb! Competition and comparison is so very draining. Let’s hope more of us hop of the Comparison Merry-go-round and board the Collaboration Train! 😀 <3
I came away feeling the same! So many ideas yet the pressure from within was too much to put anything into action.
Do what you want to make your heart sing. Your workspace is nice 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by Carly! I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who felt so overwhelmed after ProBlogger. I saw so many bloggers kicking big goals after it and I was all like “why can’t I be motivated to join in?”. Congrat’s on your nomination for 100 Women of Influence too – what an honour! xx
Perfectly imperfect is one of my favourite phrases.
I also have a perfectly imperfect green table for my workspace, it was from the recycling shop at the tip!
Great minds think alike, Lila! Green totally rocks my world, and imperfect green tables are the BEST! I need to remember the goal is not to be perfect but to just improve a little bit each day <3 Loving your new blog Mama Nourish too BTW xx
Everyone has ideas about how you should blog, how to build an audience & how to be seen. I’m finding more & more that I read/listen to what people have to say & pick the bits that stick with me. What’s right for me isn’t going to be right for everyone & I am AOK with that.
Embrace your perfect imperfection because they are perfect for you x
You’re exactly right, Reannon! Everyone has an opinion about what works and where focus should be. It’s hard to tune it out and do your own thing but I’m doing my best to do just that! x
oh love wabi sabi!! My new motto I think! embrace the imperfections. Perfect is boring!
Thanks for stopping by Tash! And yes, perfect IS boring!
Well i am very happy to be nominating you, lovely Lisa for a Liebster Award because posts like this are what keep us real & connected!
At BHB 2013 Catherine Deveny had us in in stitches with an awesome funny talk on “Completionist versus Perfectionist” And that in any project here are always a % of imperfections, & to not be a dork & focus on the stuff you got right, It’s really stuck with me. (the dorkiness)
I loved in this post “collaborations over comparisons” & “beautiful stories reside in the imperfections” just lovely, I look forward to reading your Liebster answers (when you have time!)
Thank you Jasmine – and thank you for nominating me for a Liebster Award – it was such an honour!
Here’s to wabi sabi, and not comparing, to just being ourselves! great post Lisa!
Hi Emily! Thanks so much for stopping by! And thank you so much for your feedback – it made my day! 🙂
I can resonate Lisa. I always have to refocus myself. I say to myself, “Kelly, run your own race”. And it reminds me to keep my head down and just keep going. Doing what I love. Sharing the message I want to share and don’t fall into overwhelm. Great post.
Hi Kelly – Please forgive my long delay in replying to your comment. Thank you so much for reading and commenting on my post – it really means a lot to me! Also thank you for sharing your experience of needing to refocus and run your own race too. It’s so easy to get caught in the comparison trap and as a very new blogger sometimes it’s easy to get disheartened and lose the joy of it. So thank you and I hope I see you again here soon!