Present over Perfect Book Club: Lessons in Lightness

Living in lightness—physically, emotionally and spiritually is my goal for this year. Part of that journey is accepting that I’m not perfect, my life is not perfect and that it never will be perfect.

The big lesson for me is that I am enough. My life is enough. It’s better to present, rather than always striving to be perfect.

This book has so many lessons for me to put into practice and I’ve wondered why I didn’t learn these lessons years ago.

Why did I allow myself to get so exhausted and burnt out before I did something?

I think the questions were bubbling underneath in disguise as bitterness and frustration and anger and exhaustion and getting-on-with-it. I didn’t listen to the emotions and figure out where they were coming from.

I know that the lessons from Present over Perfect will transform my life into a more peaceful, passionate and present way of living.

How do I know that for sure?

Because I’ve gone from an exhausted, anxious, depressed, foggy-brained and depleted existence to a more rested, peaceful, healthy, considered and sustainable way of living over the last few months.

Circumstances haven’t changed—I have. The lessons from Present over Perfect have given me a framework in which to live my life.

I’ve made practical changes to my day-to-day life that help me to set the course of the next season of my life in a way that I’ve never done before.

Jesus said, ‘For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’. I don’t think he meant that things would never be hard or heavy, but that there is a way of living that helps us to live beyond the circumstances.

What I’m learning is that even when circumstances are difficult, even when things happen that upend your world, that if my core is strong,  I will weather the storms. And the in-between times, the everyday will be framed by love, connection and honesty.  I can lightly and purposefully in ways I never have before.

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Thank you, Shauna Niequist for sharing the lessons you learned. You’ve changed our lives, and even though we may never meet, you’ve become a friend to us all.

Thank you, dear readers, for following the journey and sharing your lessons with us both in the comments and in personal messages.

JodieAmanda and I have appreciated your honesty, vulnerability and willingness to learn alongside us. Until the next book club, much love, Elaine xx

 

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