Walking in the light

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:5‭-‬10 NIV

I am a recovering perfectionist.  I still often expect myself to be perfect.  Perhaps "walking in the light" doesn't mean "being perfect" the way I instinctively feel an obligation to never make a mistake.  While I strive to be perfect as my Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48), perhaps the similar challenge to be holy because He is holy (1 Peter 1:16) is congruent with "walking in the light", since "holy" means to be "set apart".  Obviously, in the passage in 1 John, we are not expected to have never sinned, but rather to live in a humble way of confessing sin and turning away from it.  

I think there is a qualitative difference between walking in darkness and walking in the light (which includes a minimum set of faith and works), but perhaps there are gradients of light.  

How do I step closer into the light?  I want to walk in a realm where the light is even brighter.

Father, you are light, and there is no darkness in you.  Jesus, you are the light of the world.  Holy Spirit, lead me closer to the light. I want to be spiritually transparent, not translucent.  I love you.