We all have moments where we fall into perfectionism. For some of us, this might happen more often than we like. For others, it’s reserved for those special occasions where we have a project where we can’t rest until we get it right.
While occasional super-attention-to-detail is okay, it’s when we make perfectionism a way of life where it becomes a problem. Those are the times where we finally need to take charge of our lives and learn how to let go. When embracing the art of an imperfect world and realizing that it is okay to be imperfect perfect!
Experiment with this:
Start at the Core: Ask yourself,
Why am I so wrapped up in perfectionism? Am I truly taking action to become a better person somehow, or am I just trying to impress someone else or meet expectations from those around me? Neither impressing or trying to meet others expectations is very healthy, and both need to be addressed.
Drop the “Should” Yes, I said quit “Shoulding” on yourself!
The moment you start using this word in a conversation, especially regarding your actions, you’re already driving yourself down the rabbit hole. Remind yourself that validation comes from within. You’re already good just by being you.
Rewrite the Script
Pay attention and become aware of what you are telling yourself as you throw yourself into perfectionism? Do you really think this is the path to success? Or do you have other unrealistic expectations of the outcome? Here’s where switching up your self-talk to get out of any negative spaces and unrealistic outcomes, can really pay off.
Drop the Comparisons, it is a lose/lose situation!
Who are you holding up as role models? Are they healthy and do they inspire you or make you feel bad about yourself? Has this too become unhealthy, going from “I want to be more like them” to “Why can’t I be, do, have everything they do?” Wouldn’t it feel better to celebrate where you are right now and all that you have done and the effort you’ve been putting into things? When we compare ourself to others, we are the ones who are making up the list of things and when we do that, we can always find people we think are better off and there are always those we can also find who are worse off because it is all in our own head. We never know what it is really like to be someone else or live there life. We can only be our best self as ourself and live our own life.
Show Some Mercy
Perfection in and of itself is imperfect. There are no mistakes, there is only feedback and learning! By chasing what we see as imperfection and making ourself wrong or seeing ourselves as a failure we limit our ability to grow from the feedback and learning in that experience. You can learn the value of self-forgiveness and the ability to let go of your imperfections in favor of embracing the lessons you can learn from them and the ability to grow from those experiences.
Chasing perfection is what pulls us away from others and gets us so tangled up inside with worry and stress about getting things right; we negatively impact our mental and physical health. We negatively impact our relationships and the ones we love unintentionally.
With this in mind, isn’t it time to let go and enjoy life once and for all? Isn’t it time to see it all as one big learning experience. Isn’t it time to love ourselves more and have compassion and caring for ourselves.
Are you ready?
