Getting Good at Not Being Perfect is Great for Your Mental Health
What if the answer to the question “what if I try something new and I am not good at it?” was “it doesn’t matter”?
Our expectations of ourselves are shaped by the world around us, and the world around us, in turn, shapes our expectations of ourselves. It is not something we can fully escape—humans are in competition often in their lives. However, constant competition is not healthy for anyone. This competition can be exhausting, but a balance of activities can help us with this. To combat the expectations and competitive nature of our society, we must give ourselves the freedom to enjoy activities without those same expectations.
Yes, it can be difficult to take that first step, but when we take away the pressure of expectations, is it not easier to try? If we adjust our ways of thinking, we can tackle this idea that we must be good at everything in order to participate. We must remember that everyone is infinitely unique. There is no benefit to comparing ourselves to the skill level of others; it’s easier said than done, but it is something worth working on. Those who are naturally talented or have nurtured their skills started somewhere, and so can you! I myself have accepted that I will likely never be a great pianist, but I can still enjoy the art of making music without the expectations of recitals—something that deterred me from enjoying my piano lessons to the fullest when I was a child. It’s freeing to strip away all of those expectations!
So, say you’ve tried something new, and it turns out that you’re not naturally a master at this unknown craft. What next? Ask yourself if you enjoyed doing it. If you strip away the pressure of excelling, is the activity fun/fulfilling/interesting to you? If so, keep doing it! Success does not have to be the only form of fulfilment we get. We can also find ourselves fulfilled by enjoyment.
Our society often tells us that our time is only valuable if we are generating tangible commodities—whether it be skill or items of monetary value. If we reclaim our individuality, we can focus on enjoyment for the sake of happiness and inner peace. Sometimes we all need to take a step back, have a break, and refocus our mind.
This is not to say you should not practice and become skilled at certain crafts or activities—if this is what you want. Skills are certainly valuable. However, we must take care to give ourselves the freedom to enjoy things for the sake of enjoyment. Fun for the sake of fun is important too!