Tag: perfection

On doing things imperfectly

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Danielle Chassin Hippie in Disguise
Quality is important, but seeking perfection can lead to paralysis. At least it can for me. I have wanted to start a blog for a long time, but the perfectionist in me prevented me from actually doing it. It had to be perfect, if I were to do it at all.

Perfection can also paralyze people from pursuing change. That is, some people won’t try something if they can’t do it purely or perfectly. Myself included. I’ve heard this excuse many times in response to people telling me why they couldn’t be vegan. “I would totally  go vegan, but I just love cheese/sushi/lattes.” To which I usually respond, “Well, why not be a vegan who eats sushi?” It might not be purist or perfect veganism, but it is a lot closer than not trying at all. I encourage others to find comfort in imperfection, that is, to permit themselves to do things imperfectly. (After all, there are very few things anyone can do perfectly, all of the time or ever.) And yet, I rarely afford myself this same latitude.

And so…after many rational, and many more irrational reasons, for delaying the launch of my blog — yes, mostly related to getting it perfect — I am going ahead now, knowing it will never be perfect and that is perfectly  fine.

For the past two years, I have shared bits and pieces of our family life through my Instagram account @hippieindisguise, and while I think Instagram is an excellent social media platform, I have often wanted more space to write and provide greater detail on our activities, based on requests from my kind and curious friends and followers. On this site I will document the moments I share with my children adventuring around our city to rivers, fields, parks, and pools, visiting galleries and museums, seeking out public and street art, crafting with natural materials, drawing, painting, and cooking — the everyday moments that make up a childhood and connect our family.

I will also share interviews with people who have inspired me as parents, as artists, as entrepreneurs, as people. I think it is really important to honour our inspirations. I want to create a space where I give people credit for the good they put out into the world. Stay tuned, I will post my first interview later this week!

Finally, while I am pursuing a minimalist lifestyle, paring down my possessions to the essential, I will from time to time share products here that I believe are worth choosing, if you are in need, because they are organic, fair trade, or handmade, for example.

So, that’s the plan, it’s not perfect, but I’m okay with that.

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