Progress, Not Perfection
With the arrival of the New Year (and the resolutions that come with it), I think it's important to focus on one of my favorite mantras: Progress, Not Perfection.
I think there is a lot of worry about being "perfect", but you have to consider your circumstances, not utopia.
If you want to lose weight or adopt a plant-based diet, find your own balance. I'd love to only eat in, but that's not realistic with my lifestyle and work (which requires constant travel) or social situations... so I shoot for 100% perfection and land somewhere closer to 85-90% and that's fine by me. I always eat vegan (plant-based) though - that's never an exception.
Use your intuition. You know what's healthy and what isn't. Make the healthiest choice possible and if you end up making a less-than-great-choice, don't beat yourself up. The best you can do is step forward and make your next choice a great one!
It's about applauding progress and accepting that we don't have to live in an "all or nothing," "black or white" world.
Even when I don't get exactly what I want, I look to see if there is a way I can move myself in that direction for the future.
You have to do the best you can.
Remember: It's about progress, not perfection. It's about encouraging each other and doing the best we can. It's about focusing on what we do right, not where we might fall short. Let's build each other up and not bring each other down. We're all on a journey to be our best selves!
Don't get so lost on the big, grand finale, that you miss the whole show. Don't focus so much on the end that you miss the beauty along the journey.
Focus on doing the best right now, in the situation you are in — not utopia.