In The Mess

Okay, let’s see a show of hands here. Who else watched The Magic School Bus when they were growing up?

Anyone?

I know I can’t be the only one. That show was one of my favorites. I loved the adventure, the impossibility, the discovery of it all.

And I loved Miss Frizzle.

She had so much flair and such an awesome view of the world. I loved the way she always had the kids figure things out for themselves, and the way she encouraged them to try something new.

My favorite line in the entire show is when she tells them to, “Take chances, make mistakes, get MESSY!”

I love that.

I love it so much.

I love it because when you’re a child—or me—there’s a massive amount of pressure to ‘get things right’. I have never been particularly good at taking chances or getting messy, and when I do make mistakes, I am almost always embarrassed by them, even when they are mistakes that are fixable, understandable, and very much a part of the process of development.

I like to get things right on the first try. Every single time.

How silly is that?

This week—or month—has been about taking chances, making mistakes, and getting messy. I’ve been developing a logo, a new look for my blog, and business cards to take to a conference that I am attending in ten days. (YAY!) As with everything in the creative process, it took a few tries—and mistakes—to get something that I liked and felt comfortable using. (To be fair, we’re still in process, so things may change on a whim.) And, because I am a perfectionist and don’t like to make mistakes or admit I have made mistakes, it took me several days to confess to myself that the business cards and logo I’d slaved over, perfected, and ordered were just—wrong.

*Bangs head on desk many times*

Don’t laugh. It happens. And I am beginning to grow comfortable with the fact that, when it happens, it is much better to admit the mistake, accept that sometimes life is just a little messy, and fix it, rather than stubbornly sticking by the mistake and trying to force a liking for it.

It took a bit to get me there. I had to swallow some serious pride.

And just when I was tempted to be frustrated, I remembered Miss Frizzle and her wonderful, “Take chances, make mistakes, get MESSY!”

And I felt better.

What does your mess look like this week? Are you taking chances, making mistakes, and getting messy as you discover things in your process? Tell me about it in the comments!