In folding my clothes today, I began to realize the value of practicing perfection. As well as how I feel about the the word “perfect”.
Today I finished watching the movie HEAL, a Netflix original. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED – WATCH HERE)
After it was over, I didn’t know what to do with all that i was realizing. So I decided to mindfully fold my clothes. I quickly realized at first, that I didn’t really want to be doing it. So I addressed this within myself and restarted my folding once or twice more. And finally, when I came back a third time"Time; From Amit (Sanskrit), which means endless or immeasur... I was ready to be more mindful about the process, and I wanted to fold the clothes. I wanted them to be tidy!
Whenever I watch something like this, I like to process it for a while afterwards. Letting new ideas surface within myself so that they might stick to or surface old memories and perceptions that I have yet to accept (or experience for myself, it is something I’ve heard but not done). And what happened today was interesting.
When I first started the folding, I kind of quickly was like “good enough, good enough”. Not really slowing down, just trying to find “the pace”. But as I progressed through the clothes I stumbled into one of my favorite shirts. As I picked it up, it sparked a lot of joy within me. This is actually the photo I use for my profile picture actually! And I felt inclined to fold this shirt nicely even though it was kind of thick and bulky. And as I did that I thought I might put in more effort into folding nicely to other items.
I picked up one of my husband’s work shirts and thanked it for going through so much with him. Keeping him safe and protected from everything out there. Yes, I thanked the shirt. I buttoned it and folded it at the right seems. And I as I did this, I noticed some new things about folding that would help be “fold more perfectly” from then on.
I realized where the neckline matched the arm folds. And if you fold the thirds just so, that they line up. Which makes sense because of how our bodies are so perfectly proportioned!
It was like a mini-breakthrough in folding and I began to realize that I was very much enjoying this process of trying to get the clothes folded perfectly. Which is very much unlike me, I didn’t like or care about being “perfect”.
Memories started to surface about my perception of this word. And all the crazy wild things that I associate with it, started running through. I’m shaking my head because I realize now how terrible I am at practicing anything, ever. If I don’t aim for perfection.
By trying extremely hard, very focused at doing something “the best” you pay more attention to what you are doing and learning. And through the process of mindful actions you realize new truths about how and why things work. And once you know how you can do it over and over. And each time"Time; From Amit (Sanskrit), which means endless or immeasur... you do it right, you’re more likely to do it right the next time"Time; From Amit (Sanskrit), which means endless or immeasur.... Until pretty soon, you have proceeded into excellence, and sometimes even. Perfection.
So I try now to think of examples in my life that the word “perfect” brings me joy instead. And it’s the moments that surprise you, that spark excitement that it surfaces.
My husband is brilliant at many things. He avidly practices skills, because it’s fun. We are pretty swell Beer Pong Partners, him because he has practiced the shots and especially trick-shots so much he has honed a great skill. I am confident, I think I can be a great partner to this very skilled player, and we feed off each other’s success and skills. When he has a tough shot and doubts his skill, I’m there to bring him back to a confident, relaxed state. And we are a great team in this way.
And at times I exclaim, “Wow! PERFECT shot Baby! That was so great! Well done!”
It’s in these moments that I realize that perfection is possible in moments where something has been well practiced. And when good focus is met with the right opportunity at the right moment. And there is a will to believe that perfection can take place. And so it does.
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How do you feel about folding? Or ‘perfection’…?