Imperfect Beginnings

It was a comedy of errors, one of those times when if it could go wrong, it did. A last minute but very necessary change in call-in numbers caused those who missed the email announcing the change to also miss the call. A typo in an earlier message stating that the time for the call was Central Standard instead of Eastern further added to the confusion and caused some callers to spend unnecessary time waiting in an empty conference room for a call that was an hour a way. Of course, the callers didn't know that, so hung up long before the actual call did start.

A frustrated registrant sent me an email suggesting I try being more grounded. In my own frustration, my first thought was, "Ya think?!"

When the call finally began the comedy continued. A new conference room meant unfamiliar control codes. To make it even worse, the static was so great that I had trouble hearing what anyone was saying, including our guest speaker, Karen Wright. Though those in attendance were filled with encouragement, patience and the most incredible and loving energy, I found it necessary to press the mute button just so I could hear what Karen was saying. And when I tried to press the record button, I actually bumped myself off the call and had to call back in. By the time I "re-arrived" I was jittery and feeling totally incompetent. The record button never did come on, and the back up I purposely planned "just in case" was so static-filled it was useless.

For any of you out there who are fans of the old sitcom "I Love Lucy", you may remember the episode in which after having written a cookbook, Lucy is ecstatic to learn a publisher is interested. Her ecstacy is short-lived, however, when she discovers the publisher is keen on using the book as an example of how NOT to write a cookbook. After last night's call, the memory of that hilariously funny episode popped into my mind as I was sharing with my husband the countless goofups I'd bumbled my way through during the call, and I began laughing. The more I laughed the more laughter came. Soon I was laughing so hard my sides hurt. "I can write a book on how NOT to host a teleconference!" I announced, words so garbled in giggles as to be unfathomable to anyone but me.

It wasn't until after my funny bone had finally righted itself again that it began to dawn on me that anything that could make me laugh so hard wasn't really a goofup at all. It was, instead, a blessing of the most wonderful sort. And so in my gratitude journal I wrote, "Screwed up teleconference royally and laughed 'til I hurt. Awesome, awesome day!"

There's a wonderful scene in Larry McMurtry's novel, Lonesome Dove" in which Gus is trying to get Captain Call to lighten up a bit and not be so afraid of admitting he can be wrong. He tells his good friend that personally he's glad he gets to be wrong so often and when it is obvious Call can't fathom why, Gus continues on to explain that since nobody's perfect, we should all get used to it. He tells his friend that if you only mess up a couple of times in your life, then those mistakes become instantaneous big deals, the kind that cause anguish. But if you're lucky enough to mess up once or twice every day, well that's different. Then you're so used to it, that being right or wrong doesn't matter anymore.

I agree with Gus. I think most of make way too big a thing out of striving for perfection. We expect it in ourselves, we expect it in others, and we expect it in our world. And folks, as Gus might say, a steady diet of perfection ain't gonna be likely any time soon.

You know, I actually began thinking about starting weekly teleconference calls over a year ago. Truth be known I kept putting it off because I was afraid. "What if I didn't do it right?" "What if no body called?" What if what I had to say didn't matter to anyone?" These were the kind of questions that rumbled around in my mind and caused me to keep putting up big "delay" signs in my thinking every time I got close to scheduling that first conference call. And then a few weeks ago, as I was choosing quotes to go in the new Heartfelt Blessings I came across one by Epictetus that, like a mental bulldozer, rumbled in to obliterate every delay sign in my path.

"Unremarkable lives," Epictetus said, "are marked by the fear of not looking capable when trying something new." And I knew at once that as long as I kept listening to those questions in my mind and letting that idea that I had to be perfect keep me from moving forward, I wasn't living up to my full potential. None of us, you see, can really succeed in life until we've given ourselves permission to fail.

In today's world, however, that's not easy to do. We have grown into a society that expects perfection in everything. From our pop stars to our politicians we demand perfection and are outraged and accusatory when it is not forthcoming. And we don't stop with those who appear bigger than life. Everyday we grow more intolerant of any inkling of failure in ourselves and our neighbors.

It's easy to see why. After all, anyone with a television knows we are inundated daily with shows that tell us what to wear, how to create a perfect physique and how to throw a party that will make our friends green with envy. We are told over and over again that it's not important what we know, but who we know, and that as parents, if we're too lenient we will fail and if we're too strict we will fail and heaven forbid we strive for moderation because studies have shown that's a certain path to failure, too. We're told that we can't be thin enough, rich enough or successful enough to ever reach the perfection benchmark, but we're damned if we don't try anyway. We get so tied up in that idea of a perfect outcome, that it's a sheer wonder we're able to do anything at all.

Success in life doesn't come from perfect outcomes. It comes from our willingness to take action, it comes from moving forward, from not being afraid of falling flat on our faces because we know we can always get up again. As the old adage goes, it's not how many times we fail that counts, but how many times we get back up. And we can always get back up. It's that getting back up, after all, that makes us human. And it is our imperfection that makes us capable of blessing all in our life that is less than perfect. It is our imperfection that gives us the ability to love unconditionally. It is through our imperfection and our willingness to bounce back when we fall that we learn to truly live.

In the Talmud there is a story about a wise man who, while walking in the country, is surrounded by a pack of wild dogs. Struck with immediate fear, he sits down in the middle of the pack. He sits there because he knows that we do not conquer a fear by running from it, it conquers us. He sits there because he knows that as long as he stands frozen by fear and imagining what will next, he is wasting an amazingly precious moment of life. He sits down in the midst of those dogs because he knows waiting for them to get bored and wander away may be waiting in vain. He sits there because in his wisdom he understands that the only way we can travel the path and enjoy the journey is by dealing head on with whatever gets in our way.

Last night I dealt with my fear. I stumbled, I fell and I got back up again. It was, I believe, a smashing success. It was, I know, a red-letter day in my life and one I am grateful to have experienced.

So what about you? Is there something you've been putting off because you're afraid you might not get it right the first time? If so, why not take it down from your shelf of fears, dust it off and bless it for being the teacher it has come to be. With that small step, you move from living a life filled with fear to a life brimming with blessings.

That's not a bad trade, you know? Not bad at all.

 

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Comments

  • 1/16/2008 7:27 PM Ginnie wrote:
    I was tickled by your story about the conference call screw-ups and what a blessing it turned out to be! I, too, try to find the positive in things and I feel so blessed to get your updates as well as Heartfelt Blessings. Thank you for being a blessing in my life!
    Ginnie
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 7:35 PM Scott wrote:
    Good work! A professor I had years ago liked to say "anything worth doing is worth doing poorly." Many people bridle at this, thinking it a joke, but it's not. Don't wait until you're prefect to do something - or you won't do it at all.
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 7:44 PM Jen wrote:
    Hi Kate,
    Thanks for the awesome call! It may not have been perfect, but it was perfectly what I needed in a time of transition and uncertainity. Today, I remembered to bless all of it...everything and everyone, and the discussion about not arguing with your ego was very wise. Thanks to both you and Karen and all the loving souls on the call. It was truly a fun and wonderful night!
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 7:59 PM krystyna wrote:
    Hi Kate!
    Imperfect Beginnings means Perfect Job.
    I am very grateful for your amazing job.
    You helped me to think in a positive, blessing way.
    God bless you, your family and your great job!
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 8:02 PM River wrote:
    Thank you Kate for bumbling, and thank you Kate for sharing about it in such an uproarious funny fashion. Best laugh I have had so far today. And you are so right on about fearing mistakes and failure and how it keeps us from expressing all we can be. You are a courageous soul and bless you for that!

    River
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 8:29 PM louisiana wrote:
    Dear Kate..Although I was not a part of last night's victory, I so congratulate you and truly loved your inspirational honesty and wonderful perspective on taking action and forging our pathways forward. Thank you for sharing those blessed moments with us.
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 9:53 PM Charlotte Beye wrote:
    i just saw a rerun of the "I Love Lucy" show you referred to in your article; the book Lucy was writing wasn't a cookbook; it was a novel.
    Reply to this
    1. 1/17/2008 9:07 AM Kate wrote:
      It's been years since I saw the episode. At the time I was probably thinking about writing a cookbook -- it was an idea a played around with for a time -- so the cookbook notion stuck in my head. Thanks for letting me know it was a novel.

      Be blessed with all things good,

      Kate
      Reply to this
    2. 1/17/2008 11:27 PM Rita wrote:
      Its doesn't really matter whether it was a "Cook Book" or a "Novel" why be so picky just bless everything and let go of your need to be "right" Love and blessings to Kate for having the courage to do what most of us wont do
      Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 9:53 PM Tasha wrote:
    Dear Kate, I too am a greatgrandmother of one! Just last August. Isn't it fun?! Thanks for your sweet story about your teleconference. I always figured that if I started off from a low point I had nowhere to go but up! And so it is with you. Doubtless in time to come there will be other challenges and they too will be learning experiences. Isn't it great? Bless you for your sharing! I love your story about the sneezes and how it started you off. Surely your Dad had a hand in the whole experience. And most likely still does. If you have time to visit my site I'd love it, as I write a weekly inspirational column--my effort to brighten the garden where we live and move and have our being.Once again, bless you for all you are and all you do. Joy to your heart, with love, Tasha Halpert
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 10:09 PM Maria Saez wrote:
    Dear Kate,

    I want to say THANK YOU, I enjoyed the conference very much, it was very informative and very interesting. You handle the phone situation with professionalism. As for me I stay focus on the message and the blessings I was receiving. May God Bless you too with all the things good.
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 10:14 PM Gina wrote:
    You are such a blessing in my life. Unerringly, you seem to pop up when I most need it, with just the words I need to hear. I am holding you in the light.
    Reply to this
  • 1/16/2008 11:26 PM Blessie LaScola wrote:
    I thank you Kate for your great insights to the simple events in life that profoundly unfold for us, if we are paying attention, great wisdom. I try hard everyday to do well, however mistakes are made. I do remember a story of truth, where the Native American women would weave their blankets, and drop a stich on purpose. This was to insure to others, and mostly to themselves, that nothing but the Divine was perfect. However, we can all be delighted in knowing that we are perfectly human!

    Thank you!
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 12:06 AM Gaia Singer wrote:
    To my wonderful friend, Kate,
    What a truly amazing woman you are and such a wonderful, loving teacher. I so love your non-judgement, your clarity, your wit, the way you have with words and, of course, your imperfections, which are absolutely perfect in every way. Look at the wonderful healing gift of laughter you received once you let go of taking yourself too seriously - and thank you for the wonderful gift of laughter which I received as I read about your saga. And look at the wonderful mirror you became to those who felt the need to judge you - you gave them the chance to really look at why they chose frustration, anger or judgement over acceptance. After all, it was just one of those "just is's".
    I was one of those who was unable to get onto your site - I actually spoke briefly to you but it wasn't until you had cut me off! that I recognised your voice!! My immediate thought was "Oh dear, Kate's having problems." I then sent up a wee prayer for you and got on with something else, knowing that this was only the first of many fabulous teleconferences to come.
    Kate, all your teachings are about love, consideration, understanding, thoughtfulness, support and respect and all those other wonderful things that come under the umbrella of LOVE. The only other umbrella is FEAR under which is judgement, frustration, hate, manipulation, blame, finger pointing, and all those other icky things that we choose to use to make ourselves feel superior, until such time as we love ourselves enough to choose to lift our vibration and accept that stuff happens and that it's no big deal.
    I look forward with great joy for your next teleconference, Kate, and all the fabulous gifts that it will hold for me.
    I have no idea what 'subscribe to this entry' 'subscribe to this blog' or 'remember me' actually means in this context, but I've ticked all 3 - if I've got it wrong - So What!!
    From an imperfect me to an imperfect you, Love you, girl.
    x Gaia
    Reply to this
    1. 1/18/2008 7:01 AM Kate wrote:
      Oh my dear sweet Gaia,

      So you're who I hung up on! I tried to call back later and got a conference line, but in my bumfuzzlement (is that a word? I wonder) failed to connect all the dots.

      One knows one is truly blessed when friends still love you after you've hung up on them. Thank you Sweety.

      You're an amazing light in my life.

      Love and blessings,

      Kate
      Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 12:14 AM Susan wrote:
    Subject: Imperfect Beginnings

    "Alls well that ends well."

    Thanks to Kate for the good example, the inspiration and the courage displayed in a new experience.

    Regardless of opinions about our performance when things do not agree with our standards for perfection, we handle things as they are presented and are rewarded when we see things fall into place when the day is done. It is then we know that through experience we have learned, gained wisdom and are better prepared for the future.

    Best wishes and blessings,
    Susan


    "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?'
    Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

    It's not just in some of us; its in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

    As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

    Marianne Williamson
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 12:42 AM Linda wrote:
    Aw, bless your heart! I'm sorry things didn't go so smoothly. I'm so glad you aren't easily discouraged, and I admire your willingness to find the humor in it all!
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 2:19 AM Jill wrote:
    Thank You once again Kate! Your wonderful words of wisdom always reach out to me with such perfect timing... your Epictetus quote was EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. I am about to launch a new business venture and, being rather tired, today I have experienced a low confidence day, full of self-doubt (you know the stuff - am I good enough? can I do this? will I make a fool of myself?...)

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! It would be soooo much easier to sit back and not try this... but then again - for me, having an 'unremarkable life' is an even greater fear than failure!!! What a tragedy - to be full of great ideas and to be too frightened to ever carry any of them out...

    Happy, Happy New Year Kate. What a remarkable journey you have chosen to take... bringing joy to the world!

    All the best, Jill
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 3:02 AM Sue wrote:
    Kate,
    In reading your blog I was reminded of a woman who had a column in the newspaper which I loved to read. For the life of me I can't remember her name at the moment, but she wrote of her family and the misadventures she had in daily life. She took the ordinary frustrating upsets, and made them funny. It is true that we all take ourselves too seriously.

    Thank you for the wakeup call to lighten up, and realize I don't have to get it perfect.....that even though I have a wedding for my daughter to plan for, in an area 6000 miles away from me, and the groom is not guaranteed the day off, (he is in the military) and he is the only one living in the area the wedding is going to happen (my daughter lives 5 1/2 hours away from him and my husband and I live in Europe, also in the military) and numerous other logistic and planning headaches...all weddings have them.....it will turn out alright, my daughter will have a day to remember - hopefully with laughter and love..and I too will survive it.

    Blessings to you and yours, and may we all take ourselves a little less seriously, and walk around with smiles on our faces instead of grimaces and frowns.
    Hugs
    Sue
    Reply to this
    1. 1/17/2008 10:58 PM Wendy wrote:
      Irma Brombeck
      Reply to this
    2. 1/21/2008 11:59 AM Nancy wrote:
      Thanks to Kate, it's nice to see a "real" woman willing to be whatever is in front of her! and see the joy in it.

      39 years ago, my mother said, "your goal today is to be married. If at the end of the day, you are married, your day was a success". And it has been since that time.
      Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 3:17 AM Anu wrote:
    I was till some time ago standing at a crossroad, dithering, about stepping on a 'road less taken'.Something nudged me to take the plunge and I am glad I stopped thinking and have plunged into action.
    I feel reassured after reading your experience on 'teleconferencing'and know I shall learn better with every mistake I make.
    Thanks for renewing my faith in action and God Bless!
    - Anu
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 4:45 AM Lode wrote:
    With all this blessing of others, let us remember to bless ourselves as well:

    "My original Love, Heaven, and Life,
    or the cross, hell, and death,
    this I was willing to experience out of pure charity,
    remembers God now also as I; I."
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 7:45 AM Sheri wrote:
    Again what a blessing to read. Funny how this you just added this as I sat here on a night I could not sleep. But not like a normal draggy dead tired can't sleep. It has been a very refreshing feeling reading through this whole blog when I started, in these wee hours of the day.

    And as sitting here not only did it touch me reading everyones words, but it is like you can feel some of the joy flow over you. Then also I look at this as not just blessing others but things as you had us do in looking around us. So I added me and little things going on with my body and thinking on the blessing of having them at all, you learn to find a way to deal with things a lot different. Thank you again for sharing all your thoughts here with us. --soft-touch shyfrog
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 8:00 AM Jane Young wrote:
    Dearest Kate
    What a smashing example you are to us all. Bless you for explaining so clearly how to feel the fear and do it anyway! Your wonderful description of how the mess-up made you laugh has me in stitches - I love it.
    Abundant blessings and joy
    Jane Young in Spain
    ps - without the inspiration of May You Be Blessed I would not have created my little movie of Pierre Pradervand's words on The Gentle Art of Blessing which - also thanks to you - has now been viewed by more than 51,000 people. Huge gratitude
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 9:24 AM alan wrote:
    Dear Kate:

    I have often read your blessings and have greatly appreciated the time and effort you have put forth. It takes genuine courage to fail, but without our failures we are destined to a huge helping of ignorance about what is truly important in life. I for one am pretty well filled up with all the ignorance I can have in one lifetime. Even though I have put my heart and soul into my art, poetry and stories I still feel ignorant from the stand point of being afraid of failing. Your story of failure which wasn't failure at all filled me with admiration for your courage to step forward and try something you hadn't done before. Congratulations on your victory over the negative and pessimistic thoughts that so often stop us all from giving life a shot.

    Today I want to bless you for all your wonderful work.

    Thank you Alan Rutherford
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 2:44 PM alta wrote:
    i could relate so much to this writing so much...in my job i have the reward of helping individuals and families in need...my earning potential is much more than it is, but where can i go where i can be god's hands and minister to his people and also pay my bills??? i am afraid to leave my job and seek a better opportunity....but for the past 10 years "...I have not been afraid...because god is with me...i shall not fear.
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 2:55 PM Mattie Kloosterman wrote:
    Dear Kate,
    So glad you're back. I just feel like sharing with you my favorite saying: "A person should be able to laugh about him/herself. And for you that really should't be a problem at all!

    Love and laughter, Mattie.
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 9:32 PM diane wrote:
    blessings kate,
    you have been very busy, haven't you?
    your website is beautifully done.you couldn't have handpicked a finer group of friends/team. each one is unique,creative,spiritual, talented,to name a few.it touches my heart that each one is committed to serving and assisting others on their journey, not to mention The Blessings Project.
    and you are incredible. i saved the videos that you created. a lot of my friends were the happy reciporents of the Blessings Experiment" video{s}
    each person felt an energy,willing to give blessings. for me it touched my soul, spirit, heart. i cried and cried some more. the videos were{are}...
    i am rendered speechless, kate. thank you so much for sharing that with me. you are an inspiration. i can hardly wait to pitch in. for i am surely committed... to this. much light,and
    lots of blessings for you. diane r
    Reply to this
  • 1/17/2008 11:36 PM Dolores wrote:
    Ahhh Yesss,
    How absolutely inspiring. And so familiar. Except it usually takes me a while to look back and laugh. I like what you said about the illusion of perfection. My younger daughter had a wise teacher whose favorite saying was, "Practice makes BETTER...not perfect...perfection is an illusion none of us can live up to. Practice makes better." I am Grateful for your honesty, and I can't believe you're a GREAT Grandma! Bless you and Yours!Peace, Love and Celebration, Dolores
    Reply to this
  • 1/20/2008 12:38 AM Ms Sam Verigin wrote:
    It's funny how the most embarrassing or crazy happenings turn out to be our favorite "stories" to tell others...
    "Attitudinal change" is all I can call it..
    When a very flat tire on my truck was discovered this morning, the first thing that came to mind was...I am so blessed that it didn't blow when I was on the highway, loaded with my small farm tractor aboard. I also wondered what good thing was going to happen as an outcome of this inconvenience. I'm learning that I can deal with the bad things in life, with thankfulness, rather than anger or resentment, and that positive attitude and gratefulness,
    are easier vibrations for me to give off, and all those around me, to feel.
    Reply to this
  • 1/21/2008 11:39 AM Victoria Ladjadj wrote:
    Hi Kate,
    Your Blog has just hit me like a ton of bricks!!
    I know I spend all my time putting off what I 'REALLY' want to be and do, because Ive convinced myself I'm just not good enough. Now at the ripe old age of 53, I really have just got to get on with being 'ME' cos life is just going to outrace me and I'm going to end up with no time left to do anything if I'm not careful. Oh you are so right, Its all to easy to just keep putting off what know you should be doing, and it does you no favors because you just end up feeling so unforfilled.
    My mother died six and a half years ago, a very sad and unforfilled lady. My youngest sister and I both vowed that we would not end up the same - but do you know what, although Iv'e done many things since then, I am STILL procrastinating about doing the things that would really make me a happier person, simply because there are always 'More important things to do!' - but if I'm not really happy about doing them, are they really so IMPORTANT!!
    I really am going to try again and get on with being me and not 'who I' expect the world thinks I should be. The 'who I' being the operative words there, cos how do I know what other people think I should be- I'm not them after all!!
    Anyway Kate, thankyou once again for a wake-up call, I will try very hard to now get up out of this slumber and start living my life before it all runs out.
    Bless you and continue the wonderful work, I for one really appreciate it.
    Reply to this
  • 1/21/2008 8:18 PM diane wrote:
    nancy,
    thank you so much for your honesty.
    you have a lot of courage. in writing your message to kate you have given thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people. thank you muchlight diane
    Reply to this
  • 2/1/2008 11:51 AM Rebecca wrote:
    I have subsribed for a couple of years now to the daily blessings and I love them. Sometimes they resonate so well inside that I wish I could print and post. I know you've worked so hard at revising your format, I just wonder if it were possible to add one additional option to the format of these emails. They are so beautiful and sometimes, a printed one would be particularly nice to share and keep.
    Thanks Kate.
    Reply to this
    1. 2/1/2008 12:11 PM Kate wrote:
      That's a good idea. Let me see what I can come up with. And thanks for suggesting it.

      Love and blessings,

      Kate

      Reply to this
  • 2/1/2008 8:43 PM Judy wrote:
    Dear Kate, I thank you for the blessings that you send out everyday. It has helped me out tremendously, in my life. Now I see myself blessing other people even when we are driving somewhere. I did do the 30 day challenge and that also helped me to be more blessed and bless others in return. Thank you for all of your good works. May you be blessed each and everyday. You are truly a blessing to me. Love Judy
    Reply to this
    1. 2/3/2008 12:22 PM Kate wrote:
      Dear Judy,

      Thank you so much. I am always thrilled when someone makes it through the 30-Day challenge and notices a significant difference in their lives. I first challenged myself to a steady diet of blessings because their were certain aspects of my life that were not working and no matter what I tried, nothing seemed to change. So instead of stressing, I decided to try blessing instead, and my life has not been the same since. It is amazing what a blessing can do, isn't it?

      So thanks again for writing. You are a blessing to me, as well, Judy. A cherished one.

      Love, light and blessings,

      Kate

      Reply to this
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