The Only Flaw Is Thinking That You’re Flawed

It was one of those oversized envelopes stuffed in the mail box. It looked pretty important, unlike most of the things I find stuffed in my mail box.

The manufacturer of my car was notifying me of a recall, something to do with some part of the fuel pump which needed to be replaced. When I called to schedule the service appointment, I was assured this was no big deal. Anthony explained there was some sort of design flaw impacting the original fuel pumps but the new ones are ready to install.

Flaws. In automobiles they’ve figured out how to correct them when the performance of the vehicle isn’t meeting certain standards. In humans, though, flaws are a bit of a different story.

It’s all about the story. 

The story we tell ourselves about ourselves.

At some point in our lives we start to accept certain things about ourselves. And we’re quite good of identifying and accepting the not so good stuff we tell ourselves about ourselves. Flaws, we call them. 

There is a certain peace in accepting your flaws. You’re no longer fighting against yourself. Your acceptance of these limitations and shortcomings act as some sort of loving and compassionate hug you give to yourself. You’re flawed. You know it. And you’re OK, moving humbly forward, flaws and all. 

Unless, maybe, you’re not actually flawed at all.

Accepting flaws is accepting we have some sort of inherent defect which will keep us from fully growing into ourselves. In accepting them we are bound to instinctively and habitually perpetuate them and in doing so reinforcing the idea that we are, in fact, flawed. 

What we are willing to accept about ourselves greatly determines the life we will experience.

What if you’re not actually flawed?

What if you’re actually evolving, growing, learning, and becoming on your own time frame?

What if you stopped comparing yourself to who you tell yourself you’re supposed to be and simply accepted yourself as you actually are?

I’ve come to accept not my “flaws” but that I am instead evolving, growing, learning, and becoming, all the while giving myself the loving, patient, and compassionate space to do so. Unfolding as I do, when I do.

Me, flawlessly being me, the only person who could ever be me.

None of us are inherently defective or flawed. Each of us are walking our own journey on our own path at our own speed, and when we allow ourselves to reframe our journey in this way we create that safe space for us to evolve, grow, learn, and become.

You, flawlessly being you, the only person who could ever be you.

The only flaw is thinking that you’re flawed.

Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash