Finding Beauty in Imperfection: The Wabi-Sabi Approach

How to ease the weight of perfectionism? Perfectionism can be destructive if we don’t find a way to first become aware of it, and second overcome it.

Being perfectionist is one of these mental blocks that prevent us from being our best selves. It prevents us to move with confidence, joy, and freedom. It can quickly become paralysing, where we find ourselves in eternal loops of inaction and overthinking. It is not productive and almost self-destructive. And why for? Personally, whenever I found myself in this state of being, it was out of fear. The creative and joyful “me“ let the fearful and stuck part of me take control.

Perfectionism can be triggered on many levels. Going through a life change? A career change? Producing a piece of art? Starting a new job? Writing a novel? Going on an adventure? Starting a new sport? Perfectionism was often around the corner for me!

Sometimes life forces you to face your inner “triggers“. Your inner “gremlins“ - as I like to call after I reading Rick Carson’s book “Taming your gremlins“. For me, this inner work came while transitioning from law to programming. If I wanted to make it as a software developer, I HAD to let go of my perfectionism. I had to be willing to transcend this fear if I wanted to see progress.

One of the relieving moment while dealing with the scarcity implied by perfectionism was to learn about Wabi-Sabi. This concept somehow unlocked something within, and allowed me to breathe, to allow what is.

Wabi-Sabi spiritual values:

#1 - All things are impermanent

Everything will eventually fall into oblivion and non-existence.

Why not just appreciate what there is now even though it is not "perfect" according to our mind.

#2. All things are imperfect

Nothing that exists is without imperfections. Perfection does not actually exist if we think about it. It's an illusion of the mind!

Why are we even bothering with trying to make things perfect? I don't think we should not care about aiming for perfection - but I found that acknowledging and finding beauty in imperfections is so liberating.

#3. All things are incomplete

"All things, including the Universe itself, are in a constant, never-ending state of becoming or dissolving" - Wabi-Sabi from Leonard Koren

The notion of completion has no basis in Wabi-Sabi. Everything is in constant movement. If everything is constantly changing, aiming for perfection seems then totally vain.

So, the next time you catch yourself grinding your teeth over perfectionism, take a moment to pause, acknowledge how you’re feeling, and consider how the wisdom of Wabi-Sabi might bring you some peace!