This is the tenth and final story in our #imperfect10 series.  One might say it’s the “period” at the end of a sentence, but it’s not.

It’s the apostrophe.

In college, I was an English major with a Linguistics minor, so I tend to geek out over things like sentence structure, word etymology, and definitions. So indulge me. Here’s a basic definition of “apostrophe” which will set the scene for today’s final Imperfect10 installation:

The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters and 3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols

For the past ten days, we’ve been journeying together unpacking imperfect stories that have led to more-than-perfect revelations. Catherine, Emily, and I have each offered vulnerable and transparent stories of our lives to show you who we are –  but more importantly what this revolution is made of.  The broken, imperfect pieces of our lives have created the literal foundation of our REFIT community. Take a look:

• Experiencing rejection in childhood  (Day 4) created the pillar of belonging
• Experiencing the death of a dream and choosing to pursue a new path  (Day 2) created the pillar of empowerment
• Experiencing the limitations  of a body that changes after childbirth and learning to love yourself in each and every season (Day 9) created the pillar of transformation

REFIT may be our “business,” but I hope you see that it’s much more than that.

REFIT is the literal expression of our hearts, and we love sharing it with you.

When I think about all the reasons that suggested we weren’t fit or qualified to build a community, to start a business, to speak from authority, to train instructors, to lead a staff –  I am honestly surprised we ever started.

But we are here… because of the apostrophe.

We are here because we took possession of our stories and chose to see them as valuable lessons worth sharing – not hiding – because there is power and strength in owning your story.

It's my story, and my story's power is evident.

We are here because we omitted the voices that did not serve our greater purpose. We tuned in to the voices that encouraged our hearts and, most importantly, listened to our own.

It’s my voice, and my voice is powerful.

We are here because there are plural versions of ourselves, and we desire to evolve, grow, and transform in each and every season.

This is my current version, and all versions invite me into my greater purpose.

Your story, your voice, and this version of yourself are powerful, purposeful, and (dare I say it?) perfect.

If there’s one thing I hope each of you has received from the #imperfect10 series, I hope it’s the gift of the apostrophe –

to own your story

to omit the negative voices

and to embrace each and every version of yourself.

And if you’re not yet convinced that the apostrophe can transform how you see yourself (it is, after all, such a tiny symbol), do me a favor and follow these instructions:

1. Take a sheet of paper and write this down:  IMPERFECT
2. Write the word IMPERFECT one more time.  Then add an apostrophe between the letter “i” and “m.”

Now what do you see?

One tiny apostrophe placed between two letters turns IMPERFECT into I’MPERFECT –

I’M PERFECT – and completely transforms the meaning of the word.

One tiny apostrophe can do the same for your life when you choose to see your imperfections as your power and your purpose. 

As we close out this Imperfect10 series, I’d like to ask for two things.  The first is this: reply to this email and let us know what, if anything, resonated with you.  We’d love to hear from you.  The second is to answer the following questions so that you begin seeing yourself as perfect, rather than flawed.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What is your unique ability to navigate this season ahead (i.e. what’s something you do that no one else can do)?
• How have the imperfect pieces of your life helped you become the perfect version of yourself?

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for letting us share our stories with you.  May you each step forward with compassion for who you were, commitment to who you are, and courage for who you are becoming.

This is the conclusion of our Imperfect10 series. If you'd like to get involved in the REFIT® community, we invite you to work out with us on REFIT On Demand, find a local class, or become a certified REFIT® Instructor to begin a revolution in your area.