About an hour ago I had a conversation with a friend that I have known since kindergarten, through college and into our adulthood. We've gone through good times and challenging times together and no matter what, we were (and still are) there for one another. We haven't lived in the same state for over 20 years but our friendship transcends borders and boundaries and life changes. It can be months between conversations and yet we can pick up right where we left off. It's wonderful having a friend who knows me so well and who celebrates my successes with me and gives me positive words of encouragement when things don't go the way I wanted them to go. She's always there cheering me on.

Today’s conversation. reminded me that I don’t have to be perfect - I just have to be me. I have to “get in the game” (of life). That means not worrying about what other people think about me, not being attached to the outcome of my efforts, not having to win at somebody else’s expense and just being fully present in each moment. If I waited until I was perfect, I’d never do anything and I’d miss out on so many wonderful experiences. Basically if I waited until I was perfect, I'd never get out of bed since perfection never really occurs. As Summer Bacon says as she channels Dr. Martin J. Peebles, "What are you going to do after you're perfect?"

It’s by pushing past perceived limitations that my self-confidence grows and it’s that feeling of success that I take with me into the next situation.  Self-worth grows incrementally based upon how many new things we do. It’s the effort that makes us feel powerful, not necessarily how well we executed the action. So I keep “getting up to bat” (even if my knees are knocking) and taking whatever actions are necessary to fully participate in life. I think of all the events in my life as just innings in the game of life and all those “practice swings” as building my mental, emotional and spiritual muscles. Look at all the growth opportunity I’d miss if I waited until I was perfect before I did anything. I’d never get out and play. Being human, I know that no matter how hard I work I’ll never be perfect at anything. And that’s “perfectly” OK with me because I know true friends will accept me just the way I am at any moment in time.