Wear and Tear Is the Point
As someone who leans towards being a perfectionist, it can be hard to ship things that are not perfectly refined. Over time, I’ve learned that this slows me down and prevents me from doing more of what I want to do, which is to build things and solve problems.
Lately, I’ve realized that this mindset had insidiously manifested in how I’ve lived:
Trying to preserve my nice clothing by not wearing them as often
Being too precious with my books and not handling them as much (i.e. not reading them)
Not using my oven as often to keep it clean and generally being afraid to make a mess in my kitchen while cooking
It’s subtle, but the pattern is clear: trying to preserve things in a perfect state restricted my quality of life.
This was even more apparent to me after moving out of my old place. I had kept that space very clean. Everything was maintained, organized, and in great condition. But looking back, I realized I had spent too much time keeping it pristine. Once I moved out, all of that preservation meant nothing.
What was the point of keeping everything pristine, if it meant I didn’t fully and freely live in my own home?
Wear and tear isn’t something to avoid. It’s a sign that something has been fully utilized. The marks, imperfections, and signs of use all tell a story. They give things character.
Cleanliness and order still matter, but that shouldn’t come at the expense of actually living. You don’t want to just be a maintainer. A bit of mess, a bit of wear, a bit of imperfection—that is evidence of a life fully lived.
Food for Thought
Last year, I had come across a video by Rajiv Surendra titled, Why you should use your nicest things, every day!, which has since inspired and changed how I view my “nicest things”.