Got perfectionism?
Here’s How to Love Being Perfectly Imperfect
Perfectionism is a Defense Mechanism to Avoid Criticism and Rejection
What if it were okay to be quirky and wrong?
When we let go of our own judgments about being quirky and wrong, we can let go of the defenses too.Quirky is cool. Nature is perfectly imperfect. Only machines make perfect things. Do you want to be a machine, or a carbon copy?
That’s no fun!
There is no uniqueness in that.
Everyone is sprinkled with their own flavor of uniqueness. If you blend in with everyone else, we may miss it. Don’t do that to yourself or the world. Share it.
And it’s okay to be wrong, too! Being wrong means that you’ve stumbled upon a limitation that you didn’t know you had. And now you can learn something that will help you blow past it.
Yes! We don’t know what we don’t know. Unless someone or something brings it to our attention, we can remain in darkness and ignorance. So thank the universe when you discover this. It’s a blessing.
Perfectionism Destroys Uniqueness
Face it. We’re all drawn to the quirk. It makes life interesting. It’s challenging. The different thing invites curiosity and wonder.
Why would you put that out to be predictable, robotic, and boring? Dare to be perfectly imperfect. Risk being authentic.
Need proof? I won’t name names, but consider the stars whose careers were ruined after plastic surgery “corrected” their “flaws.”
Perfectionism goes beyond our faces, but the same considerations apply. When we go out of our way to blend in and not be noticed, we become invisible. We’re here to be seen and share our special sauce.
Strategies to Love Being Perfectly Imperfect
If someone offers you criticism, say, “Thank you” and mean it. If the feedback is useful and you can use it to grow, take it! If the feedback is not objectively true or useful, put it back down. We don’t have to accept everything that is offered.Accept things as they are. It brings peace.Let go of the outcome. None of us knows where the road is leading. We like to pretend we’re in control and have it all figured out, but we don’t. So enjoy the imperfect process. Give gratitude for life’s imperfections. So many things that we think of as “bad” or “wrong” are often life’s blessings. We can receive the blessing if we don’t see it for what it is.Let life surprise you. Everybody with a wacky story has that incredible adventure because of the things that didn’t go according to plan. And yet it all works out. If you catch yourself judging or criticizing yourself or someone else, pause and see how you can find how the opposite is true. If you’re thinking, “Red is an awful color on me,” find the exception. If you think “I totally blew that interview,” scan the memory for the things you did well. Let go of what other people think. Sometimes perfectionism is about people pleasing. If people are happy, they will like us and want us on their team. Let that go. Some people like French’s mustard and some like Grey Poupon. It’s all good.
Life’s more authentic when you’re perfectly imperfect because that’s how nature rolls! Be natural.
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