The Freedom of Failure: Why Imperfection is an Asset

Perfection Can Be Exhausting

By Kathie Owen | Kathie’s Coaching Blog

Let’s be honest—perfection is exhausting.

Whether it's in our careers, relationships, health journeys, or even how we show up online, the pressure to “have it all together” has never been louder. The curated highlight reels we scroll through on social media? The perfectly filtered photos, the flawless morning routines, the “effortless” success? It’s easy to feel like we’re always falling short.

I know the feeling. I’ve lived it. I’ve breathed it.

But more importantly? I’ve let it go. And that’s what today’s conversation is all about.

Welcome to another edition of Kathie’s Coaching Podcast—and blog. This is your space to slow down, breathe deeply, and remember the truth:

You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful. You just have to be you.

---

Watch the video on YouTube

Listen to the Podcast Episode

---

📌 The Heavy Burden of Perfection

For years, I worked in environments where perfection was praised, mistakes were punished, and image mattered more than impact. And that wasn’t just external—it began to take root inside me, quietly whispering: “Don’t mess up. Don’t let them see the cracks.”

I’ll be honest, it nearly broke me.

When I worked at OCuSOFT, I poured my heart into wellness events, team coaching, and supporting others. And still—I felt like it wasn’t enough. At least not to the people signing my 40-hour paycheck. Funny in hindsight, right?

But back then, I equated worthiness with output. Perfectionism stole my joy and kept me playing small.

And here’s the kicker: I see this everywhere.

Clients, friends, even fellow coaches fall into this same trap. Because society teaches us to equate success with flawlessness. But the truth? Perfection is a trap.

---

The Illusion of Perfection

✨ The Illusion of Perfection

Let’s break it down.

Nobody is perfect. Not your favorite influencer. Not your neighbor with the clean kitchen. Not even the HR executives I used to hold on a pedestal.

We all have bad days. We all mess up. We all cry in the car and laugh five minutes later.

And that? That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us real.

I used to believe that if I just tried harder—worked more, polished more, proved more—I’d finally feel enough. But it didn’t lead to progress. It led to burnout, anxiety, and self-doubt.

And now, as a coach who’s done years of mindset work, journaling, and inner healing, I’ve learned:

Growth doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from the mess.

---

The Freedom of Letting Go

🕊️ The Freedom of Letting Go

Buy on Amazon

Letting go of perfection doesn’t mean giving up. It means showing up differently—with trust, with authenticity, and with your whole self.

When I finally let go of that exhausting standard, I found peace. I found me.

I remember a powerful moment at Toastmasters, when someone told me how my vulnerability helped them step into their own power. And that’s when it hit me:

Imperfection is not a flaw. It’s a bridge.

It’s how we connect with others. It’s how we grow.

When you embrace your whole self—flaws, quirks, and all—you create space for real relationships, real healing, and real success.

---

There is Power in Imperfection

💥 The Power in Imperfection

There’s a divine power in embracing what makes you different. What once felt like flaws might actually be your greatest teachers.

I think of my sweet dog Rusty. Not long ago, I worried something was wrong with his health and nearly spiraled. But in that uncertainty, I felt so much love and presence. That moment reminded me how powerful vulnerability is—and how deeply we can feel when we stop trying to control every outcome.

That’s what I call the art of letting go.

Some of my biggest breakthroughs—in life and in business—came from things not going to plan. Because when we surrender the illusion of perfection, we create space for creativity, resilience, and purpose.

---

What It Means Living Authentically

🌱 Living Authentically (What It Really Means)

So… what does it look like to embrace imperfection in daily life?

Let me share a few simple, soul-centered steps that have helped me:

• Be kind to yourself.

  Talk to yourself like you’d talk to your best friend—especially when you make mistakes.

• Celebrate your strengths, honor your weaknesses.

  Yes, even the parts of yourself you’ve judged. Especially those parts.

• Set real, human goals.

  Not hustle-culture goals. You’re not a machine—you’re a magnificent, evolving human being.

• Practice rituals that anchor you in your truth.

  For me, it’s journaling, walking with Rusty, prayer, reflection, and the support of powerful communities like Toastmasters.

Sometimes, I cry in the car. Sometimes, I laugh five minutes later. That’s life. And it’s beautiful.

---

Journal Prompts for Today

✍️ Two Soulful Journal Prompts

Here are two journal prompts to help you deepen this work. I encourage you to sit with them—maybe even walk with them:

1. Where in my life am I striving to be perfect—and what would it feel like to release that pressure?

   Explore the areas where perfectionism shows up the most. Then ask: What if I allowed myself to just be enough?

2. What parts of myself have I judged in the past—and how can I see those as sources of strength today?

   Think of a mistake or setback that once made you feel “less than.” Now reframe it: What did it teach you? How did it shape your compassion, creativity, or courage?

I’ve done this myself—especially when reflecting on my time at OCuSOFT. Back then, I saw my exit as a failure. But now? I see it as the doorway to a higher calling. Because I stepped out of a tiny little box I thought was the whole world—and now the view up here is so much better.

---

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Powerful

💛 You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Powerful

Let me leave you with this:

You don’t need to be polished. You don’t need to be flawless.

You just need to be you.

You’re allowed to be growing, evolving, and figuring it out—and still be a light to others. So release the pressure. Let go of perfection. Step into your truth.

You are enough. Exactly as you are.

---

If this message resonated with you, share this post with someone who needs the reminder. And let me know in the comments below:

What’s one area of your life where you’re giving yourself permission to be imperfect?

Until next time—

Peace out and namaste. 🙏

—Kathie Owen

---

💫 About Kathie

Kathie Owen is a corporate wellness consultant, speaker, and mindset coach with over 20 years of experience in fitness, psychology, and leadership development. After building wellness programs for companies like OCuSOFT and empowering hundreds of clients through holistic health coaching, Kathie now helps individuals and teams beat burnout, find purpose, and thrive—mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Kathie Owen, Corpoarte Wellness Coach, Speaker, and Consultant

Through her podcast, YouTube channel, and signature Better You Challenges, Kathie shares real stories, practical tools, and mindset shifts that inspire deep transformation. She weaves together the wisdom of Reality Transurfing, sports psychology, and lived experience to help others step into their truth, embrace imperfection, and lead with heart.

When she's not coaching or speaking, you’ll find her journaling, walking her dog Rusty, or encouraging others to choose peace over perfection—one brave step at a time.

---

Follow Kathie on Social Media

---

Read More Articles from Kathie Here

---

Transcript from today’s episode:

Welcome back to Kathie's Coaching Podcast. I'm your host, Kathie Owen. And today I wanna talk about something that's been on my heart lately. The pressure to be perfect. And why the real magic happens when we let that go. You know, I've spent years in environments where perfection was praised, where mistakes were punished, and where image mattered more than impact. And that can even mean on the inside because really and truly it happens from the inside out. And you know what? It nearly broke me with all of that perfection being praised, and mistakes being punished and image mattering more than impact. But I have to tell you, it also woke me up. There's a weight of perfection, and whether it's in our careers, our relationships, our health journeys, or even in how we show up online as a coach, a consultant, as a speaker, and society tells us we need to have it all together. That's an illusion, and let's be honest, social media doesn't help these days. It's easy to fall into that rabbit hole trap of comparison when we're constantly bombarded with highlight reels of other people's lives. I. And I remember when I worked at OCuSOFT, I felt like no matter how many wellness events I hosted or how many people I coached and helped, it was never enough. Well, at least not in the eyes of the people who mattered at the time, or the people who signed my 40 hour a week paycheck. Looking back on that, that's kind of funny. But that need to be perfect. It actually robbed me of my joy and it kept me playing small. So again, there's a weight of perfection. Social media is constantly bombarding us with curated image of success and making us compare our real lives to these unrealistic portrayals. This constant comparison can make us feel inadequate and anxious about our own progress. The pressure to achieve perfection in every aspect of life can be. Overwhelming. It can lead to burnout, it can lead to anxiety and even depression. But like I said, and here is the truth, perfection is an illusion. We all mess up. We all have bad days, and honestly, that's what makes us beautifully human. You know, I used to think that if I just worked harder, if I perform better or if I prove myself one more time, I'd finally be worthy. But perfectionism didn't lead to progress. I'm gonna repeat that'cause that's kind of important. Perfectionism did not lead to progress. It led to burnout. Major anxiety and major self-doubt. Now as a coach and someone who's healed through many years of self-reflection and mindset work, I know this growth does not happen in the pursuit of faultlessness. It happens when we embrace the mess, when we embrace the storm that's hitting us, that we so-called think is hitting us because perfection is an illusion. No one is perfect. Not even those seemingly flawless individuals we see online or we put up on that pedestal like I did with the executives at the company I worked for, or the HR people that I worked for. Every single one of us make mistakes. We all have flaws, and we all experience setbacks. So embracing imperfection doesn't mean throwing in the towel. It's about accepting the reality of being human and understanding that setbacks are part of the learning process. When we strive for perfection, we often avoid taking risks and stepping outside our comfort zone. This fear of failure can hinder our growth and progress. But there's freedom. There is freedom in letting go and letting go of perfection doesn't mean you don't care. It means you care differently from a place of trust and authenticity, not fear. When I stopped trying to be perfect, I found peace. I found me. I found myself. That's when people started connecting with my message, and it wasn't because I was polished, but because I was real. I'll never forget the moment someone at Toastmasters told me how my vulnerability helped them step into their power. That's when I knew imperfection is not a flaw. It's a bridge to real connection. So the freedom of letting go means embracing our imperfections because it makes us more relatable and approachable when we show our vulnerabilities it allows others to feel comfortable doing the same, fostering deeper connections. Letting go of the need to be perfect opens the door to vulnerability and acceptance. It allows us to be more honest with ourselves and others, creating a space for genuine growth and personal fulfillment. Do you know what happens when we give ourselves permission to be imperfect? We become more creative, more resilient, and more alive. Some of my greatest breakthroughs, both in life and in business, come from moments where things didn't know go as planned. You know the saying, if you wanna hear God laugh, tell him your plans. You know, I think about Rusty, my sweet little dog and how I almost spiraled when I thought something was wrong with his health. But that moment reminded me how much love and presence we can feel even in uncertainty. That's the art of letting go and trust me, it is powerful. So living authentically, what does that mean? You know, start by practicing kindness toward yourself. When you make mistakes, give yourself permission to learn from them and move on. Celebrate your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses without judgment, or as my coach says, without shame and condemnation. So celebrate our strengths and acknowledge our weaknesses without shame and condemnation. And set realistic goals. Celebrate small wins and embrace the journey of growth and progress is essential for living authentically. And then finding beauty in the imperfections that make us unique is a powerful act of self-acceptance. It allows us to embrace the whole of ourselves flaws and all, and live a life filled with authenticity and joy. So how do we begin practicing this? First of all, be kind to yourself. Talk to yourself like you would your best friend. Celebrate your strengths, yes, but also honor your weaknesses. Your weaknesses are your greatest teachers. Never forget that. Set real human goals. Not hustle culture goals, and remember, the journey is where the beauty lies. For me, it has been journaling daily walks with Rusty and surrounding myself with coaches and community who get it, like my Toastmaster's, new friends that I've made, and just connections that I reach out and do on a regular basis. It's breath work, it's prayer, it's reflection, and yes, sometimes even crying in the car and then laughing five minutes later because that is life and it's beautiful. Here lately, I've been adding journal prompts to my videos, and I'm going to cut and paste these inside the description and the show notes below, so you can easily just go get them. But remember, I also write a blog post that includes bonus resources on each episode that I do, and I include a link to that in the show notes and description below. So journal prompt number one. Where in my life am I striving to be perfect? And what would it feel like to release that pressure? Explore this area and work and relationships in your appearance, et cetera, where perfectionism shows up the most for you? Then imagine what would shift if you allowed yourself to just be enough. What would freedom look like there? And then journal prompt number two, what parts of myself have I judged in the past and how can I see those as sources of my strength today? Think about a mistake, a flaw, or a setback that once made you feel less than. Now reframe it. What did you learn from it? How did it shape your resilience, your compassion, or your creativity? And I'm gonna share with you right here how I felt like it was a setback when I left OCuSOFT. But I look back in connecting the dots, looking backwards. It had to happen that way, or I wouldn't still be inside that little box. Feeling so-called comfortable and not getting to the bigger picture or stepping outside of that box because once I stepped outside of that box, the view up here is so much better than it was in that little bitty tiny. Box that I thought was the whole universe. So I invite you to contemplate those when you work on these journal prompts and to realize that those so-called setbacks really shape your resilience. They shape your compassion and they shape your even your creativity, and they help you to look at things in a bigger, better way. So remember, you don't have to be perfect to be powerful. You don't have to have it all figured out to inspire someone else. You just have to be you. So today I invite you to release the pressure. Let go of perfection and step into your truth. Drop a comment below and let me know what's one area where you are giving yourself permission to be imperfect. And if this message resonated with you today, don't forget to like, subscribe. Hit that little bell and share this video with someone who needs this reminder today. Alright. Thank you for being here. You are not alone and you're more than enough exactly as you are. That's my video for today and I trust that you found it helpful. And until next time, I will see you next time. Peace out and Namaste. Yes, I did the hand gestures. All right, see you next time.