I don’t know what perfect looks like. Why? Because I’m not sure anybody has ever attained it.
I’m a recovering perfectionist.
I would like to say I held myself to extremely high standards for the right reasons, but if I’m being totally honest my perfectionism was driven by fear. I was trying to cover up any insecurities and weaknesses, and by striving for perfection I was only leading myself to more insecurity, more doubt, more self-destruction.
I was fighting against any criticism that could possibly be thrown my way, and when I couldn’t measure up I would get super defensive, recruiting my ego and deflecting everything pointed in my direction. I was judging myself, being my own worst enemy, and sabotaging my potential to make an impact in the world around me.
My definition of perfect is still what you think it would be, “free of faults”. There’s no groundbreaking new thought besides not even valuing the pursuit of perfection, knowing that it’s an illusion.
I have many faults, and I’ve started to wear them as badges of honor. Symbolizing imperfection, because each one of them makes my story perfectly unique… “free of a faulty image” I was previously trying to live up to. Finally free to overcome perfectionism.
How to Overcome Perfectionism
Instead, can we be perfectly imperfect? Can we break free from any standard to live up to? Celebrating our uniqueness and our mistakes can lead to a fulfilling life where we are free to create because we can trust that we won’t be judged, not even by ourselves. We can simply work on doing the best we can with what we have been blessed with.
You are perfect because you are imperfect. You have different values, beliefs, characteristics, traits, goals, and desires. Our imperfection makes us the perfect choice for our purpose in life. We are free to begin sharing our stories, connecting with ours that have shared the same adversity, building a sense of community with like-minded individuals and making a tremendous difference in the world. This is what imperfection looks like, as perfect as it seems.
Come to think of it, I do know what perfect looks like…