Get Past Perfect and Rise Up Real.

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Did you know that certain Native American artisans weave small, purposeful mistakes into their blankets?

These master craftspeople include intentional slip-ups in their best work. But why?

Because they believe that the “mistake” is the very space that allows Spirit to move in and out of the fabric.

Take a moment and let that sink in. Then ask yourself …

What if the mistakes you wish you hadn’t made could be openings for Spirit in your life?

If that question freaks you out a little, I understand.

I’m Caroline Garnet McGraw, and I’m a recovering perfectionist. (And workaholic and codependent and people-pleaser. You know, just the usual.)

I’ve spent most of my life in abject terror of making mistakes. But in 2011, I started this blog as an account of the journey to get past perfect and rise up real.

A Wish Come Clear is about the lifelong odyssey that we take to come home to ourselves and each other.

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I knew I was a perfectionist the day I got into a car crash on the way to high school.

The accident totaled our family’s pretty blue Chrysler Concorde, and I wasn’t in great shape either. Thankfully I didn’t sustain significant physical injuries, but I was hyperventilating, trembling, and generally traumatized.

Still, my tears were barely dry when I insisted on going straight to school.

Why? Well, I thought that since I’d already screwed up by getting into the accident and missing two classes, taking a day off was out of the question.

Though I would never have asked a frightened friend to soldier on like that, I demanded it of myself.

I had to keep striving. There was no room for letting myself be looked after. I couldn’t afford to make yet another mistake.

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How to Protect Your Energy: 3 Unconventional Tips

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Have you ever woken up one day and realized that panic mode and pure exhaustion have become your default settings? If you’ve ever Googled, “How to protect your energy” and “Tired of being tired” and “How to set boundaries” … then you are not alone.

I’ve been there, so I understand how hard it can be to feel hopeful. The good news is, you don’t have to stay in that drained, depleted place.

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Tired of Being Tired? This One’s For You.

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Once upon a time, there was a girl who didn’t know how to take care of herself. All she knew was that she was tired of being tired.

When this girl felt physically ill, she tried to cancel her dinner plans … but instead she let a friend override her protests. She showed up at a restaurant burning with fever and flu, then staggered home alone.

When this girl went out and an older, married guy made a pass at her, she tried to move away … but instead she let false guilt freeze her. She just didn’t want him – or anyone else – to feel uncomfortable.

When this girl was exhausted and someone asked her for a ride to a party, she tried to say no … but instead she said yes and spent the return journey sobbing her eyes out.

Every time these situations arose, this girl felt worse about herself. Why did these things keep happening?

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