Finding Freedom in the Ugly

Mindfulness Talk

Ever use a socket wrench?  The phrase “childlike wonder” puts a smile on our face and a bit of wisp in our breath.  Ahh.  Well this weekend I got to experience a different kind of childlike: “awkward learner”.  Yep, not quite the same. 

In the past, learning a new skill typically put me into a fight with my inner, awkward, ugly teenager.  But this time, I found myself embracing my pimply self.  As I made mistakes with my socket wrench, I didn’t get silly-embarraced or self-denegrating.  I stayed serious, but didn’t take myself seriously. Big difference!  

As I struggled with my project, I didn’t hear those teenage echoes like, “maybe you’re not smart enough for this” or “I bet others pick this up faster than you”.  I accepted myself for the awkward learner that I was - lumps, bumps, pimples and all.  

It was freeing to be in the ugly place!  No perfection, no performance