By Dawn Norton

Sometimes I catch myself believing that if I just take the right course, read the right book, or power through the right challenge, I’ll suddenly—POOF!—become perfect. Then reality hits: while I may have grown—sometimes a little, sometimes a lot—I’m still just a human… being human.

When I look back at my teenage self, stumbling through self-doubt and discovery, trying to make sense of this great big thing called life, I’m amazed at how far I’ve come. Occasionally I find something I wrote 30 or 40 years ago, and I’m struck—not just by the distance I’ve traveled, but by the strength I had back then that I didn’t even recognize. I didn’t feel strong at the time.

In recent years, I’ve come to know my strengths more clearly—things like gratitude, love, spirituality, a love of learning, and appreciation of beauty and excellence. Recognizing these strengths gave me new tools to face challenges. And it helped me stop obsessing over my flaws. I began to trust that the Lord could help my weaknesses become strengths. I lean on Him daily.

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” Ether 12: 27

I’ve always had a compassionate heart and a love for people. But structure? Scheduling? Consistency? Those are constant battles. I tend to take on too much, and I’m often wrangling the wild horse inside me that wants to charge full speed ahead—hair streaming behind me in the wind. (If only I had long hair to stream!)

I want to be perfect now. I want to do it all. And when I crash into a heap of half-finished projects and scrambled thoughts, I realize: this mess? It’s part of the process. These moments are my opportunities to rise. Some days will be messy. And that’s okay.

I don’t have to be perfect today. Or tomorrow. Or even in this lifetime.

Because not being perfect isn’t failure—it’s simply being human. God gave us weakness so we’d remember to turn to Him. When I reject that truth, I turn my struggle inward and outward—I make myself wrong, and others too. But when I embrace it? I find grace. I find peace. I find progress.

And I remember: I don’t need to leap to the finish line. I only need to take the next step. The next decision. The next breath.

Here are a few things I’ve come to believe deeply:

1. Identify your strengths. Use what you do have to solve problems, rather than focusing on what you don’t.

2. Trust the process. There are resources—seen and unseen—specifically aligned with your path. God knows the season, the timing, the people, and the provisions you’ll need to become who He created you to be.

3. Choose stillness. In any moment, we can:
   a) Be calm
   b) Quiet our thoughts
   c) Wait for the next right idea or step to emerge

That’s how we move forward. One moment at a time. One faithful choice at a time.

Each step brings us closer—not to perfection by the world’s standards—but to the presence of the One who does the perfecting.

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