What did Chris Pratt say?
“People are gonna tell you, you are perfect just the way you are, you are not. You are not perfect, you are imperfect, you always will be, but there is a powerful force that designed you that way. And if you are willing to accept that, you will have grace, and grace is a gift.”
What does Chris Pratt’s message mean?
There is an inclination in mainstream media and popular self-help culture to sugarcoat insecurities through a positivity that functions on the principle of masking, by pushing people to cover up their discomfort with feel-good affirmations, instead of honestly confronting it.
While the intention may be to encourage self-acceptance, this approach can sometimes impose an unrealistic idea of perfection through popular motivational phrases like ‘you are perfect the way you are.’
In retrospect, the idea behind the phrase is not entirely bad. It is encouraging people to be who they are, however they are. But the framing may need to be reconsidered because the idea of being ‘perfect as you are’ is unrealistic. As humans, we need to acknowledge our imperfections and come face to face with the fact that we are not flawless.
The lesson lies in this humble acceptance. It is not about superficial sugarcoating that temporarily hurts less or conditions us to avoid discomfort. Instead, it is about accepting wholeheartedly, while recognising that those imperfections exist for a reason. This acceptance makes one kinder, wiser and more humble, allowing one to move through life with more grace.
You let yourself become more in tune with yourself by being candid, that yes, ‘I am imperfect’, but that acts as a source of courage, growth and grace. It goes on to remind that self-worth exists, irrespective of how perfect or imperfect you are. In fact, self-worth should not be built upon the fantasy of perfection.
