Welcome,
This is a space for you to gently return to yourself,
To soften the grip of perfectionism,
And to remember you're not here to be flawless,
You're here to be real,
Alive,
And growing.
Let's begin by arriving,
Close your eyes if you haven't already,
And take a moment to bring your awareness inward.
Notice your breath,
Simply observe,
No need to change anything right now.
We'll begin with a short round of box breathing to regulate the nervous system and open the heart.
Inhale deeply through your nose for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Exhale for 1,
2,
3,
4,
Hold for 1,
2,
3,
4.
One more time at your own pace.
Now allow your breath to return to a natural rhythm,
Let your shoulders drop,
Soften your jaw and cleanse your hands.
Feel the support beneath you and let yourself be held.
Imagine you are walking through a quiet,
Serene,
Green,
Lush forest.
The air is fresh and cool and golden sunlight filters through the trees.
You feel safe,
Grounded and connected.
As you walk,
You come upon a small clearing and in the centre is a canvas,
Half-painted.
Brushes,
Colours,
Shapes and motion.
It's imperfect,
It's raw,
Real.
This canvas represents you.
Not the filtered version,
Not the polished mask,
But the living,
Breathing work of art you are in process.
Evolving,
Becoming.
Take a deep breath and notice how it feels to stand before this canvas.
You might hear a voice inside,
One that criticises the messiness.
This is a part of you,
A perfectionist part,
A protector.
It might say things like,
You're not good enough or you should be further along,
Don't try unless you can be perfect.
Let's pause to acknowledge this part.
Don't push it away,
But try to understand it.
Place one hand on your heart and whisper inwardly,
I see you.
I know you're trying to help me.
Thank you for wanting to keep me safe.
This part likely developed a long time ago,
Maybe in childhood.
In moments where you felt judged or like love was conditional on achievement.
And that part of you subconsciously developed this coping strategy so it didn't have to feel that pain ever again.
But today you're not that small child anymore.
You have more tools,
More awareness and it's safe to update this part with your current truth.
Now I invite you to visualise that younger version of yourself.
The one who first learned that being perfect was the way to feel worthy.
See them standing near the canvas.
Hesitant,
Maybe afraid of messing it up.
Look into their eyes and feel the tenderness between you.
My love,
I'm so proud of you.
You've tried so hard to protect me.
But I want you to know you don't need to carry this pressure anymore.
You're allowed to try,
To learn,
To grow without needing to be perfect.
Just listen for their response.
Let them feel heard.
And when it feels right,
Gently guide their hand to the paintbrush.
And together make one imperfect stroke across the canvas.
Just one,
Just enough.
I feel the liberation in that,
The joy,
The permission.
I don't need you to push me anymore.
I am enough.
Progress is enough.
I am safe to be in the process.
Pause here.
Breathing in this truth.
Let it land.
Let yourself imagine what life could feel like if perfection wasn't the goal anymore.
If showing up was enough.
If effort and honesty and heart were celebrated over flawlessness.
Let your entire system relax into that idea.
Thank that younger version of yourself.
That protector part of yourself for being there for you.
And for being open to this process.
For receiving your energy from the present day.
You both have so much compassion and gratitude for each other.
They are so happy to see who you are now.
And to feel seen and understood by you.
While you feel so much compassion for them.
When you are ready,
Start to bring your awareness back to your physical body.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Feel the rising and falling of your chest with your breath.
Take a deep,
Nourishing inhale.
And with a sigh release through your mouth.
If you feel cold,
You may want to journal on this prompt.
What would I do differently if showing up was all that mattered?
And remember,
You're not wrong,
You're not behind.
You're in the process of becoming.
And every step,
Even the messy ones,
Is sacred.
You don't have to be perfect to be powerful.
You just have to be willing to keep showing up.
Namaste.
