Have you ever been plagued by self-doubt? I suspect we have all had our moments of “am I good enough” or comparison to others. Of course, present-day social media can intensify these feelings, with beautifully curated photos capturing what appears to be perfect lives.
As I have launched this blog, I have been stumbling across this feeling more than I thought I would. In my professional career, I recognized when imposter syndrome hit. And, more often than not, I conquered the fear of being imperfect out of necessity. After all, deadlines won’t wait, and I feared letting others down more than I dreaded admitting my own flaws.
But today, I write this blog and attempt to create some social media content without anyone relying on me. No deadlines. No teammates. Only me, in my head, with thousands of others to compare my imperfect knits, images, and words to.
“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.”
― Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
When knitting, I tend to accept imperfections more often than not, particularly if the finished item is meant for my own use. Indeed, knitting is almost a practice in accepting imperfections. I look at an item and marvel at how the mistake didn’t take away from its overall beauty or utility. (Of course, it’s another story if the mistake will take away from fit or function, and I certainly correct those issues once identified.)
Can I learn a lesson from this knitting philosophy that I’ve accepted over the years? Can I accept that, even though flawed, there is still beauty and purpose within myself? I suppose time will tell, but in the meantime, I strive to choose authenticity each day, with my imperfections potentially on display.
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