Embracing the Glorious Mess

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“Embrace the glorious mess that you are.” – Elizabeth Gilbert.

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This is a quote I stumbled upon while doing my usual social media scroll through accounts that inspire, empower, and tell it like it is. This quote made me stop and pause. It’s so simple, and yet it connects to a commonplace that we all come from, a mess that we all are, as we strive to become and embrace the many facets of ourselves.

In the 10 years of owning Points North Studio, I have saught to carve my own path and define what success meant to me, which more often than not, meant still having the freedom to roam, to explore, and to enjoy life while running a business. I’ve worked and lived remotely around the United States, and have also ventured abroad for months at a time to dive into life from different points of view. Elizabeth Gilbert may not know it, but she played quite the role in my own decision to venture off the beaten path and create my own way, with her book (now a feature film) Eat Pray Love.

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When I think about mess, I love that it’s a common ground that we can all stand upon.

Take a step back from the curated photos that you see online, in social media, and through advertisements. Pull back the curtain and realize that everyone has their own parts of their lives that they deem messy, parts that many of us would love to do away with but we can’t because they make up a good chunk of who we are. Life is messy, own it. It’s through the mess that we get clear about what we want. It’s through the mess that we find the pieces that fit together. It’s through the mess that we have enlightenment.

When Liz tells us to embrace the glorious mess that we are, she acknowledges that we as people and mess are not two separate things but instead one being. And with that embracing we give ourselves permission to dance and go with the flow. We welcome ourselves into being as we are, instead of trying to cover up or sugarcoat one part of ourselves or another.

“Embrace the glorious mess that you are” …. because that’s who you are, beautifully unbalanced and always searching for what gives you joy; lost and found; lighthearted but full of contemplative depth; seeking places and people to belong, all while feeding an adventurous spirit that longs to leap. What are we if not polar opposites pulling and pushing and yet still bringing out all the parts in us that matter?

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We have a tendacy to want to sweep mess under rugs or hide them in drawers and closet, in darkness and for no one to see.

There is shame in mess, and a need to disassociate from it. But what if we opened those drawers and closets and dove in? If I could add on to this quote, I would continue with “Trust those instincts of yours and love every inch of yourself from darkness to light. For your only path now is the one you intentionally carve for yourself, every mountain and uphill climb providing immeasurable lessons, unforgettable experiences and expansive views.”

There is no part of life, work life, romance, friendships, relationships, that is perfect. Everything comes with a bit of mess. You’ll be searching forever if you’re seeking this concept of perfect balance; it will slip through your fingers like sand or time. Some things are not meant for us to hold onto. Embrace the chaos, adore the nuances and inconsistencies. Reflect back in awe and wonder. What a beautiful hot mess.

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