How To Overcome Perfectionism
Sep 27, 2019
Perfection is an illusion — you believe it makes you better but actually it harms you.
The more you try to be perfect, the worse you feel. It’s that feeling you get when you expect things of yourself that you’d never expect from others. It’s working yourself to exhaustion in hopes that you’ll feel whole, complete, worthy. It’s basing your self-worth on external accomplishments. Always feeling like you have something to prove.
Perfectionism won’t give you permission to feel confident and is such a waste of time and energy. Other people can’t make you feel like enough; that’s a decision you have to make for yourself. So how do you overcome perfectionism?
Strive for excellence rather than perfection.
Unlike perfection, excellence can be maintained throughout your life. It’s your persistence and courage that determines your excellence.
1. Prioritize self-care and invest in yourself.
Honor your needs and make them a priority. Practice saying no more often. Setting healthy boundaries is the very thing that leads to sustainable energy.
Stop taking on extra tasks that aren’t directly related to your passion. Invest in your own wellbeing and continue working on what truly matters.
2. Time off is not time wasted.
Practice taking time to relax and engage in light-hearted activities. You need to recharge your batteries so that you can refresh your motivation and continue pursuing your dreams.
Don’t wait until it feels right, schedule it regularly or it won’t happen. Energetically cleanse by leaving town or spend some time in a new environment.
3. Trust yourself and embrace your authenticity.
You have what it takes to complete anything, you always persevere. Use that knowledge to feel more secure when you get overwhelmed--there's no reason to panic.
Speak your truth and let the world know what you stand for. Give yourself permission to be you.
Know that you don’t have to be perfect to be worthy.
What we don’t realize is that working toward our goals and being willing to put ourselves out there are accomplishments within themselves. Give yourself a pat on the back for trying, making progress, and coming as far as you have.
1. Create more realistic personal goals and expectations.
Recognize that you are already enough. The more you practice this the more you’ll believe it. Strive for your best and focus on making progress, not perfection.
Be kind to yourself. Life is a work in progress. Eliminate excess energy attempting the impossible. Challenge yourself without killing yourself.
2. Challenge your inner critic.
Reflect on your successes. Use healthy rewards and positive feedback to achieve your goals. Allow positivity to propel you to personal fulfillment.
Don’t allow your inner voice to wreak havoc on your emotional well-being. Learn to stop. Too much analysis can create paralysis. Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people.
3. Forgive yourself.
Become comfortable with imperfection. Make mistakes on purpose and don’t fix them. Disrupt your obsession.
Be curious, it's mother nature of learning and improvement. What can you learn from past mistakes and failures?
Practice gratitude for the small and unpredictable moments. Celebrate both your achievements and your mistakes. Turn good enough into your new perfect.
4. Change your mindset.
Creating a mindset that isn’t filled with unrealistic expectations will help cultivate a sense of well-being.
The first step to feeling like you’re enough is changing your old beliefs about yourself. These beliefs may be derived from past experiences of what’s expected of you.
5. Know who you are and what you value.
This is vital. Once you have that down you can make the decision to be enough in every situation you face.
Build self-reliance by thinking for yourself and moving forward with your OWN decisions. It isn’t necessary to share every problem you encounter with others, to get advice or be told what to do. As you become more aware of what you want and value, you’ll know the next step to take in life.
Recognize that nobody else has the answers. You know just as much as everyone else, in fact you know more than others about what’s right for you.
When what you do is in line with what you believe, your self-esteem and happiness grow. The more you do for yourself, the better you feel. Then, you will become more confident and feel less compelled to be perfect all the time.
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-----THIS INFORMATION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PERSONALIZED MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT WITH A HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONAL. THE USE OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. -----
