My Foray into Foot-Hand Coordination (Or Lack Thereof)
I’ve always been a fairly competent human. I can make a mean spreadsheet, assemble IKEA furniture without resorting to interpretive dance, and even hold a conversation in a language that isn’t English (albeit very slowly and with generous use of charades). So, naturally, I assumed that learning to juggle would be a breeze.
Reader, I was wrong.
My attempts at juggling were less “graceful arc of colorful objects” and more “uncoordinated assault on innocent bystanders.” Balls bounced off my head, ricocheted off the ceiling, and once even took out a strategically placed houseplant (RIP, Philodendron).
The Joy of Low Stakes and Zero Expectations
When we’re trying something new and unfamiliar, there’s a beautiful lack of pressure. No one expects us to be experts right off the bat (except maybe our own overly ambitious inner critic). We’re free to stumble, to experiment, and to revel in the sheer absurdity of it all.
Think about it: when was the last time you laughed so hard you cried while simultaneously editing a spreadsheet? Probably never (unless you have a very exciting accounting career). But give yourself permission to try something you’re utterly hopeless at – like interpretive dance, underwater basket weaving, or competitive thumb wrestling – and I guarantee you’ll unlock a whole new level of joy.
Escaping the Perfection Trap
In our culture obsessed with achievement and optimization, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing we need to be good at everything. We curate perfect online personas, strive for flawless productivity, and secretly fear being anything less than exceptional. But this relentless pursuit of perfection can be exhausting and, frankly, a little soul-crushing.
Embracing our “badness” allows us to escape this suffocating pressure. It reminds us that it’s okay to not be good at everything. In fact, it’s more than okay – it’s liberating. When we let go of the need to excel, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities, free from the fear of judgment or failure.