The Army

The Army

Monday, August 18, 2014

40% Brave

I've been reading The Cure for the "Perfect" LIfe, 12 Ways to Stop Trying Harder and Start Living Braver, by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory.
As you can see from the cover, it is help for those of us whose icing has slipped off our cupcakes...no matter how perfect we want them to look (Perfectionism), how many we offered to make for the bake sale (Performancism), because we are just want others to be happy (People-Pleasing), OR how last minute we waited to bake them (Procrastination). Notice a "P" theme there? Those are the "P-bullies" and this book (unlike the pretty pink icing) is anything but fluff for dealing with them.

While I have struggle with all four of the "P-bullies" there are two that this book has really enlightened me on dealing with, primarily Perfectionism & Procrastination. I'm sure my friends are laughing at that "admission", as I've always made my procrastination a joke. But a lot of the so-called procrastination I joke about is more reflective of the crazy life I live as a single mom of 3 (at home) kids who works, is finishing a degree and writes.  I have to be very careful to give my children the time they need and manage all I need to complete by various deadlines. It's my "Ecclesiastes" approach....there is a time for everything under heaven.  Sometimes the best time to finish that paper is the day/night before it's due because of other priorities.
But the Procrastination Bully really hits me hard when I put things off when I know I can't get them Perfect. As in, "There's no way I can slug through my daughter's room to help her put toys and clothes away in the time I have. I'll do it tomorrow (next week, next weekend, after school starts, etc.)" And do you think it ever gets done? Absolutely not, because I don't have time to do it to perfection so I put it off, and put it off until it becomes a new monster living in the precious space left in my head not dedicated to my kids picky eating habits and the lyrics to You Are My Sunshine.
Here's what The Cure says about Procrastination, "Procrastination is sly. He never says, 'I'm not going to let you do this." No, he takes a much more subtle approach. "Oh, you most certainly are going to do this. I know you will. You know you will. But now is not the right time. You certainly can't do it right now!"

 It's like Kathi & Cheri had a little recorder right in that cramped brain space of mine. 

They go on to write that each project has it's "last minute" that is when procrastination leaps into activity motivated by fear. The Procrastination Bully has us beaten when we buy into his thinking that we can be truly motivated only by fear. (paraphrased)

Cheri remind us of what God says in 1 John 4:18, "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." (NLT)
And in the chapter titled, "Perfect is for Pinterest" (who can't get behind that?) she shares the verses 24-30 of Matthew 25, better known as the Parable of the Talents. Read over it and see if you don't agree that "it is an illustration of the fear of not being perfect keeping us from doing what God wants us to do."  Sometimes I avoid doing things out of fear of not being perfect, but there are those times I do something out of fear as a result of procrastinating.
But what I am learning is recognizing these Bullies for what they are and learning the tools to combat them and lean in closer to God and his perfect love.


I want to invite you on this trip with me. Here's a few ways you can do that.
First join us on Facebook at: Tiny Act of Rebellion, purchase the book (here's just one place) Barnes & Noble and while you anxiously await for it to arrive you can get started with Chapter 1.

You don't need to be 100% brave, 40% is enough to get started!

I am just one little, tiny piece of this launch team, please check out all the other great posts by women who've been changed by The Cure for the "Perfect" Life. The Cure Blog Tour







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