Being bad at things

I bought a sticker at WonderCon a month and a half go that says “Make art even if it’s bad.” As a recovering perfectionist, this is a philosophy I endorse but am not always good at applying to myself. With cosplay, I’ll often procrastinate parts that I’m not confident I can pull off until it’s down to the wire and I’m confronted with the choice: make the thing okay-ish or don’t make it all (I usually opt for the former).

I’ve recently gotten into gardening even though historically, I’m bad at gardening. My grocery store basil is struggling and I’ve never kept a succulent alive for longer than a few months. Still, I got some books out from the library (where they also gave me some seeds!) and am attempting to grow some vegetables: radishes, beets, and bunching onions.¹

I also play on a softball team with my husband and friends and have for a couple of seasons now. It’s a lot of fun, even though we lose far more games than we win. And while I have improved slightly since we started, my athletic ability is limited.

All that to say, I’m doing a lot of things I’m bad at and having a good time.