Finding Beauty in Imperfection

Hey - I hope you’re well. 

Have you ever walked into a room with a tiled floor, only to notice one tiny, chipped tile?

Suddenly, that imperfection takes over your attention, overshadowing the floor’s true beauty.

Why is it that we silly humans focus on what’s wrong, despite the abundance of good that’s around us?

The short answer: the "Broken Tile Syndrome," coined by author Dennis Prager.

It explains why humans generally fixate on what’s missing instead of what’s present.

So today, we’ll cover:

• Where the ‘Broken Tile Syndrome’ comes from

• How it evolves into perfectionism

• & What steps we can take to see more of the good

Let’s begin.

Are Humans Pessimists?

The human tendency to notice the negative before the positive may be hardwired into us.

This pessimistic leaning, commonly known as the “Negativity Bias,” is most likely an adaptive evolutionary pattern.

Thousands of years ago, being attentive to imperfections (like a new footprint on the trail) could be the difference between life & death.

Psychologist Alison Ledgerwood confirms this view in her TED Talk, where she discusses how our brains default to negative thinking as a survival strategy. 

While our ancestors were exposed to immediate environmental threats that required attentiveness to negatives, that’s no longer the case in modern times. 

Thus, this bias no longer serves the same survival purpose, yet it remains a prominent aspect of human cognition.

Because of this evolutionary programming, the negativity bias can be a difficult pattern to break, and can even evolve into perfectionism.

In my experience, focusing on what’s wrong can narrow our focus - leading to a perception that highlights what can be improved rather than what’s already present.

For example, Leonardo da Vinci, one of the most renowned artists of all time, was a notorious perfectionist.

He left many of his works unfinished and it’s rumored that when he did complete something, he was rarely satisfied with his work.

Da Vinci's perfectionism not only illustrates the difficulty in breaking this pattern, but it also highlights the potential for growth & creativity when we learn to embrace imperfection.

So what if we shifted our perspective? 

What if, instead of focusing on the chipped tiles, we appreciated the artistry of the entire floor?

And how might this apply to our own lives?

What "broken tiles" are we fixating on? 

And how could we shift our focus to the beauty that surrounds us?

Here’s three ways to facilitate this process.

Start a Gratitude Journal

Each day, write down three things you're grateful for. 

It sounds cliche, obvious, or perhaps even a little airy-fairy, but gratitude is a powerful practice that literally rewires your brain. (Check the link below, if you’re curious).

By acknowledging & appreciating what we have, we shift our focus from what's missing to what's abundant in our lives.

This simple shift in perspective can not only lead to greater happiness, but also become a generative cycle - the more we look for good, the more good we see.

(We find what we’re looking for)

Practice Radical Acceptance

Radical Acceptance is concept I’ve been exploring thanks to the wisdom of Dr. Tara Brach.

In her book, Radical Acceptance, she lays out a simple yet profound principle: accepting everything around us.

Embracing radical non-resistance.

It’s “not about passivity or resignation, but about acknowledging the truth of this moment and finding a wise response,” writes Dr. Brach, but rather “the willingness to experience ourselves and our lives as it is.”

With this perspective, the chipped tile is no longer relevant.

All we see is what is.

Embrace & Honor Imperfection

This awesome meditation from Emily Fletcher recently reminded me that "perfection is a prison & control is an illusion."

This sentiment resonates with the Japanese artform of "kintsugi," which translates to "golden repair."

Kintsugi involves repairing broken pottery with a special lacquer mixed with gold or silver, celebrating the object’s history & imperfections.

Rather than concealing the pottery’s breakage & repair, kintsugi highlights them as an integral part of its beauty.

This approach reflects the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, which values imperfection & impermanence.

What Kintsugi illustrates through art, Wabi-sabi mirrors back to ourselves:

How can we accept our weaknesses, imperfections, and complexities - and find beauty in that process?

Thank you for reading

By embracing imperfection & practicing gratitude, we can silence the Broken Tile Syndrome, overcome perfectionism, and live more enjoyable lives.

So here's to focusing on the beauty of the entire floor & our lives, imperfections & all.

With gratitude,

Aidan