You Are Not Perfect.

To a young girl fighting,

Perfection is an impossible destination.

I have been a perfectionist in many categories of my life for quite some time now. One of them being recovery. I had always thought that my recovery had to be “perfect” and that if it wasn’t, I was a complete failure. 

I know I am not the only one who thinks/thought this. You feel that when you come back from treatment you should be perfectly ok, you feel that you should never have a slip up. BUT….. 

“There is so much more beauty in imperfection.”

A line my therapist said to me a few days ago that stuck with me. A slip or a hiccup is expected. There is no such thing as a “perfect recovery!!!” There just isn’t. You are going to have moments that aren’t great, sorry but you are. BUT THAT'S OK!!

My therapist showed me something the other day, kintsugi. It is pieces of art that are perfect except they have little cracks in them. For example, a bowl with a few cracks. Just like the kintsugi, you are perfectly, beautifully, imperfect! And THAT IS OK and the way it should be!!!!!!

This is an example of kintsugi.

Seeing someone look so put together on social media or even in person on the outside most likely means they are falling apart on the inside. Though there, of course, are those few very rare magical people who have all their shit together, most of the world's population have shit going on and ARE NOT PERFECT!!! It's an unattainable place to want to achieve. 

All I am asking for is for you to be your best self, nothing more, nothing less. Just try your best! You can do this. You are a fighter. You are far more capable than you think! 

I love you!!

Love,

Alexa Cohen <3