Don’t miss your moment waiting for perfect

Have you ever been in the position where you’re about to miss the last train before you’ll be late and you just KNOW you need to catch it? What do you do?

You throw all decorum to the wind and SPRINT.

But once you make it into that glorious train car, out of breath but successful, relief washes over you.

That sprint is what putting on a solo exhibit feels like for me.

There’s simply so much I need to have ready before debuting a new collection to the world. The difference is that I could theoretically keep tweaking and adjusting forever.

All of the to-do lists of this recovering perfectionist fill multiple notebooks scattered throughout my home and studio. But a lot of the items aren’t crossed off. And here’s the thing: I’m learning that it’s unrealistic to expect that, because a lot of the items themselves are unrealistic.

That’s the trap of perfectionism: it whispers that more prep, more polish, more planning will keep you “safe.” But really? It’s just keeping you stuck on the platform while the train pulls away. 

Your “good enough” is most likely someone else’s “perfect”.

I’ve learned that the moment I decide to sprint and to commit to a timeline is the moment momentum kicks in. I’m no longer reworking the same tiny detail. I’m moving forward. And even if I arrive breathless with pink hair frazzled all over my face, I arrive.

Perfectionism wants a flawless debut. Real progress wants a done one.

So if you’re hesitating to hit publish, hang your work, or show your face because it’s “not quite ready”, this is your invitation to run for the train. Because it’s about catching the train, not perfecting your stride.

So don’t miss your moment waiting for perfect. The door is open, and you can make it.

Laura Rose Barth and I celebrate at the Grand Finale, my solo show.

Since I’ve only shared polished images in this post, it feels only fair to also share my studio while reaching the finish line.