The world today is obsessed with perfection. Nowadays, it has surpassed to the extent that people have started thinking that even a single imperfection is a faulty wire they need to fix right away. With this mindset being ingrained in the upcoming generations, making peace with your authentic self seems counterintuitive. However, maybe those flaws are the pathway that guides you to a successful life. While that may sound impossible, it’s anything but.
With that said, what does being flawesome even mean? Kristina Mand-Lakhiani explains that and much more in her book. For now, hold those horses and prepare to step into the world of #BecomingFlawesome. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics.
What Does the Word “Flawesome” Stand For?
Before getting into the details, we’ll begin with the word that forms the basis of it all.
Kristina Mand-Lakhiani combined the words flaw and awesome coming up with the term “Flawesome.” Using this term as the foundation, the author, throughout the book “Becoming Flawesome - The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life,” guides the reader through the concept of understanding that being awesome, or perfect in other words, doesn’t come with zero imperfections in yourself, physically or personality-wise.
What’s Being Flawesome All About?
If you’ve been invested in self-help books that tell you to “get a grip on your life and fix your flaws,” and it hasn’t been working out, it’s time to redirect your approach. We’re accustomed to showing our best selves to the outside world and hiding our imperfections and mistakes.
The thing is - you’re you, along with your flaws. The trick to succeeding in life isn’t to eradicate your flaws individually but to embrace them as a part of your authentic self. Not only can owning your flawesome-ness as you let go of trying to aim at perfection, but it can also be liberating.
Where social media has wired us into only looking through the perfection lens, it’s important to know that flaws are a part of every human. As quoted in Kristina Mand-Lakhiani’s book, “Your dragons will not cease to exist, no matter how well you build the walls of spirituality around them.” The book has expert insights from the author, owing to her personal experiences and the wisdom gained from them. She sheds light on why acknowledging your authentic self is integral and also how to gradually shift your mindset from self-criticism to self-compassion.
How Do You Start Becoming Flawesome?
For starters, connecting with your authentic self, alongside accepting your flaws, doesn’t happen overnight. Furthermore, despite reaching that phase, even the best of us can still fall prey to insecurities and chase after one ‘ideal’ metric or another. In other words, you have to work on staying true to your authentic self every day.
Once you know that, it’s time to take the first step. The book has a more detailed guide that helps you through the process step-by-step. But, if you’re looking for a starting point, practice awareness and self-compassion.
Knowing that Not Everyone’s Perfect
Know that everything you see displayed on social media and around you isn’t 100% real. Instead, people are inclined to only depict small moments of their imperfect lives, which holds true for everyone! When you’ve landed on the point where you know that those glass-skin model pictures are edited and that influencer’s honeymoon had a lot of chaotic BTS, you can move to the next step: self-compassion.
Let Go of Self-Hatred
Undeniably, one of the hardest things is to love yourself completely. A helpful tip is to write down something you love about yourself daily, or you’re grateful to yourself for. Treat yourself with kindness, especially on days you can’t get up and put out your best self.
Conclusion
The pursuit of perfection may sound like a dream. After all, that’s what we grow up hearing, “correct those mistakes and achieve perfection.” In reality, a successful and, more importantly, satisfying life comes with freeing yourself from the shackles of a fake identity that’s flawless. And finally, our flaws give each of us an authentic and unique identity. Make an action plan to grow on this journey, and watch how it changes your mindset and life!
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