Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Week 2: "Overture" — The Shape of the Problem
Read "Overture" in Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.
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Niequist opens with a musical metaphor — the overture introduces the themes the rest of the book will develop — so read slowly and notice which notes resonate most deeply with your own story.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Niequist describes a life that looked full and successful from the outside but felt hollow and exhausting on the inside. Have you ever experienced that gap between the appearance of your life and the reality of it? What did that feel like?
2.She names busyness as something she wore like an identity — not just something she did, but something she was. What identities do you carry that are rooted in productivity, usefulness, or performance?
3.The word "perfect" in the title carries a specific weight. In your own life, what does "perfect" look like — what are the standards you hold yourself to, spoken or unspoken?
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