Do you want to succeed? Get messy.

There's a very vocal segment of the population that believes wholeheartedly in the school of thought, "If you're gonna do it, do it right..."

In what seems to be becoming a long list of Ways That I Don't Like to Follow Rules, I've realized I'm squarely NOT in that camp. 

Because do you know what that also says, by default? 
"If you don't do it right, don't do it." 

Pshh. 

I want to tell you that I hope the VERY OPPOSITE for you. 

Why?

Because I would much rather you do something, even if it's not perfect, than sit and wait for perfection (which, realistically, never comes). 

Jump in, rather than wait to be "ready." (I feel like that word should be banished aside from its use in declaring a pie fit for consuming.)

Run at it at YOUR pace, rather than fret about what others might think or how they might judge if you start something, and aren't doing it "correctly."

Nike's slogan isn't, "Just Do It --- but Make Sure It's Perfect." 

Want to know why else? 

Because, go sit in the feeling of, "It has to be right. Do it to the letter."

Go ahead --- close your eyes, and see how it feels to tell yourself that. 

Now tell see how it feels to tell yourself that it's AWESOME that you're trying something, and -- y'know what? -- it's okay if it's not perfect.

For me, that kind of rigidity, perfectionism and rule-following feels like a freakin' choke chain leash. It's stifling. 

It completely inhibits flow and -- even more importantly -- feeling. 

This isn't how I've always been --- I was an uber-rule-follower. 
I wouldn't take a chance until I knew I was ready to succeed. 

I once told my mom that I didn't want to ski, when I was little, because I didn't know how.... Errrrr, how else do you learn? How else do you get better?

Now, honestly, I can't be bothered with perfection:

I'm doing the Whole30 cleanse --- but I'm calling it, "Whole30-ish."

I have been taking part in a online course / challenge for the past few weeks --- as I see others following through with the exercises and homework, and as I have twinges of 'the-teacher-is-going-to-be-disappointed-in-me,' I continue to only implement and try out the things that really resonate with me in the moment, taking some of the tips and putting others on the shelf for a later date. 

I won't even get started telling you about how I drove my boyfriend crazy with my painting of our bathroom walls (let's just say my tendency to 'do a little, then walk away, do a little more, then walk away, go back and finish later' is NOT how he would have done it ;) ). 

If we're not doing for ourselves what we feel is right, the WAY we feel it's right -- deep down in our gut -- how can we ever hope to get into the flow of this life? 

And if we're constantly, with our actions (or inaction), telling the Universe that we're "not ready" -- it has no choice but to comply, and keep from you the things that you're dreaming of.

That's my wish for you today:

Paint outside the lines.
Make a mess. 
Try something new, and ENJOY screwing it up. 
Go out with your hair un-done, mismatched socks, or the 'wrong' shoes. 

Nike would approve. 

What are you going to do to jump in today? 
How are you going to start something messy-awesome? 

Let me know! I'd LOVE to cheer you on from the messy-sidelines!!