The Courage of Being Imperfect

It’s huge treat to have Lara Heacock and Stephanie Ducharme join me for this round table on the courage of being imperfect. The three of us are participating in the Courage in Action Telesummit, an 11 day interview series all about courage. All three of us as coaches, and attended the same coach training, too, so there’s a lot of synergy, fun, and laughter going on with this episode.

Stephanie and Lara both share some deep seated wisdom about courage, how it’s tied to vulnerability, and what it looks like to drop the mask of perfectionism, all in the name love (and loving yourself). I think you will really love the depth of this conversation about the courage of being imperfect; I was stopped in my tracks twice by the insights they shared, and so be sure and tune in to the very end so you catch them both 🙂

In this episode, Stephanie, Lara and I talk about:

4:15 Lara and Stephanie’s earliest sparks of joy – Lara as an extroverted, laughing girl, and Stephanie as a quiet, introverted child who enjoyed the outdoors
6:30 What Stephanie and Lara do, now. Stephanie is a multi-passionate, entrepreneur (a confidence coach for equestrians and athletes, riding instructor, farm owner, and landscape business owner) who in her spare time likes to make art. Stephanie connects with her parents through art and creativity.
7:30 Lara is an executive life coach working with people on the topics of balance and confidence, with self-kindness.
9:00 Paula loses connection, but in the spirit of imperfection, continues the interview from a cell phone line.
10:00 Lara explains how she created the “Courage in Action” Telesummit, which is now in it’s second year (including juicy gossip.), and how there are 12 hosts, and 22 different interviews (including 12 special guests), all talking about what courage looks like in their life.
13:00 Small acts are often some of the most courageous – realizing we are being courageous even when we don’t feel it.
14:20 What is the courage around being imperfect and embracing our imperfections? Where has perfectionism come up in your life?
15:00 Lara talks about how and where perfectionism has come up for her.
17:00 The mask of “Facebook living” and hiding behind perfectionism
19:00 Stephanie talks about how people pleasing comes into play with perfectionism
22:00 Fear is at the heart of perfectionism
25:00 Love as the anecdote to perfectionism and people pleasing.
28:00 How to begin practicing vulnerability
29:00 The way that vulnerability invites others to be vulnerable, and is a show of self-compassion
31:00 If loving oneself seems too difficult, start with compassion or kindness
34:00 how to sit with discomfort when it comes up, and how courage has various definitions for different people
36:00 Developing a self kindness practice (and why it can be life changing)
37:00 What becomes possible when we have the courage to be imperfect? How do we face the courage of being imperfect?
40:30 Scruffy entertaining – when people drop the mask and have guests over, no matter the state of their house
42:00 What balance looks like for Lara – boundaries and self kindness, and what overwhelm tells her
43:00 Stephanie talks about balance – giving herself the same grace and the same space she gives her clients
45:30 Stephanie & Lara’s thoughts on jump starting joy in your life