#74 Why Imperfect isn't ALWAYS a Bad Thing
Wabi Sabi and finding joy in a new year of sharing your story with your world
I’ve been struggling the past few weeks. Not in the pandemic, quarantine, looming lockdown sort of way that has become life in the province of Ontario in Canada (though that too), but in the how to ground and how to move forward and how to keep sharing stories when the foundations of things feel so unsteady.
I do not do well with uncertainty. Quite frankly, I’m bad at it. I was a perfectionist most of my life because a part of me needed to create certainty where it didn’t exist. It definitely contributed to my experience of burnout.
As I think about a new year, new opportunities, new choices, and the uncertainty that comes with all of that my armpits get a little sweaty. But I came across a concept earlier last year as I began my burnout healing journey that has really helped me centre in those moments of chaos and when the urge to control and perfect take over. It’s an old Japanese idea called Wabi Sabi—the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It’s an aesthetic term, but one that I think can apply to how we engage with life in uncertain times especially as creators and storytellers. It helps calm the perfectionist in me by simply allowing me to look for and engage with the Wabi Sabi in moments when things feel out of control. It’s about embracing imperfection, letting go of control, and discovering the magic and beauty in what is.
The beginning of January is a great time for reflection. I use the end of year, new year cycle in the Gregorian calendar to reflect on what has been and consider what may be. I choose a word for the year and use tools like The Year Compass to guide that process as I imagine what life may look like over the next 12 months. (My word this year is courage or courageous curiosity in case you were wondering). So in these times that can feel overwhelming and unsettling, I lean into the idea of Wabi Sabi and make space for the beauty in the imperfect. It helps me in my writing, in my work, and in my life. I hope it’s an idea that sparks new perspective for you this year.
A Story Well Told (and a Reminder)
I spent the last few months of the year feeling off balance in life and wishing I could get on a plane to anywhere. Something that really created a spark of joy and excitement in me was watching We’re Here an HBO show featuring two of my favourite drag queens, Shangela and Bob the Drag Queen, in addition to their friend Eureka. Yes, I have favourite drag queens and so too should you if you’re here to have some fun in life. They are all Ru Paul Drag Race famous (if you haven’t watched Drag Race, you are missing a true self-love reaffirming joy in your world). They go to small towns in America (like, SMALL) and put on drag shows with locals. It is funny, delightful, and a ray of sunshine even when they take on hard topics. If you’re in need of a little reminder that there is also good in the world, definitely check out We’re Here and/or follow Shangela and Bob on insta (Eureka is fine too, just not my kind of queen). Let me know what you think if you check it out.
The reminder:
I wanted to let you know that I’ve extended early access pricing to my storytelling foundations program, YOUR Big Story! You can check out details of the program here. It’ll go up to regular price ($200 more) when enrolment officially opens on January 18. I don’t want you to miss out if you’ve been wanting to finally start to think about and share your unique story of your business, your career, or your life with the world.
Also:
I have a free webinar coming up next Thursday January 13, 2022 at 12pm ET. It’s called Storytelling 101: Finding Your Unique Voice and Sharing it With the World. I’d love for you join. There will be a recording sent out following if you can’t make it at the time. Sign up for the webinar here.
Chantaie Allick
Writer|Strategist|Storyteller
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