How the Idea of Perfection Could Be Weighing You Down Without You Knowing

Do you refuse to leave your house without mascara? Does the thought of an error on an expense report keep you up at night?

If you are tossing and turning over tens of thousands of dollars, it’s one thing. However, you might be one of many who grapple with stress brought on by unrealistic expectations. Here’s how the idea of perfection could be weighing you down without you knowing it, along with some tips for finding a healthier sense of priority.

The Weight of Unrealistic Expectations

If your pet Schnauzer pulls down your holiday tree, you get to decide if it’s a disaster or a hilarious memory you’ll chuckle at through the years. Too often, the weight of unrealistic expectations makes you overlook the best way to relieve stress — laughter.

Unfortunately, society often contributes to unrealistic expectations. For example, while one-quarter of men and 87% of women say they prefer straight teeth, only the most fortunate Americans can afford quality dental care, let alone orthodontics. The consequences often create a perpetual poverty cycle — those who are missing teeth may struggle to gain the very employment they need to have their smile repaired.

Other times, though, you might create a crisis where none exists. What’s worse? Failing to make a token appearance at your office holiday party or showing up with a chipped manicure?

When asked objectively, most people would say you should attend even with imperfect fingernails. But perfectionism whispers, “everyone will notice.” In your embarrassment over a minor detail that no one but a bonafide mean girl would mention, you draw more attention to yourself by hiding your hands behind your back instead of shaking the proffered paw of the department head where you wish to transfer.

Perfectionism can paralyze progress. If you have a business you want to launch, get started on it today. If you study entrepreneurs, you’ll learn you should be embarrassed by your initial product or offering — but you’ll never nurture a gorgeous rose bush to perfection if you don’t first plant that seed.

Reasons to Embrace Imperfection

Embracing imperfection is, frankly, pretty awesome and liberating. If you aren’t convinced yet that letting go of your need for perfection can make your life better, here are five ways it will revolutionize your existence.

1. It Makes You Human

People don’t like superheroes outside of comic books. If you look at the stories of the folks people admire most, you’ll see nearly all share the trait of overcoming terrible odds.

What sets them apart? They kept going even when things got messy or downright mortifying. You can do the same when you let go of perfection. Making mistakes doesn’t mean you’re a failure — only human.

Other people will relate to your humanity. Learning to take ownership of your mistakes instead of brushing them under the perfectionist rug will make you more powerful and showcase your leadership potential.

2. You Serve as a Role Model

It’s one thing to exhibit patience in the checkout line while the lady in front of you counts their change one coin at a time if you have nowhere to be. If you are running late to work, it proves much harder to keep your cool — but that’s when you demonstrate your character.

Staying calm amidst chaos only occurs when you let go of the idea of perfection. Why ruin a stranger’s day by making them feel guilty when a “thank you for waiting” will help ease the stress of running a few minutes late? When you look in the mirror, you’ll see someone who treats everyone considerately.

3. It Helps You Prioritize Your Time

Some things can wait, but others shouldn’t. If you put off inviting friends to visit until you have your dream pad, you’ll miss out on valuable memories. Are you really going to skip your BFF’s wedding if you think your bridesmaid dress makes you look chunky?

When you let go of perfection, you can prioritize your time more effectively. When it comes to a choice between getting a pedicure and spending an hour reconnecting with a long-lost friend, you pick coffee and chatting every time.

4. It Eases Stress

Perfectionism can lead to burnout — a state of utter mental and physical exhaustion. When you reach this point, you might find it impossible to get out of bed, which only leaves you feeling more overwhelmed about the things you left undone.

Letting go of perfectionism eases the pressure. Maybe you leave the dishes in the sink overnight on hectic days, but you still attend your kid’s soccer match after putting in an honest eight hours. You accomplish what counts instead of hitting a wall, throwing up your hands and doing nothing.

5. It Strengthens Your Relationships

Perfectionism can ruin relationships — you could deny loved ones your presence when you don’t look or feel your best. While you want to give your friends, family members and colleagues the best version of you, they understand that everyone is human.

Learn to love the little quirks that make you — and your loved ones — unique. Someday, after all, you’ll miss the trail of muddy footprints your mate always drags in from the garden. Instead of griping about your clean floors, appreciate each day you share your home with someone who’s, frankly, pretty darn great overall.

Finding Your Balance

There’s a time and place for perfectionism. If you work on an aircraft carrier, you know you need to keep things ship-shape — pun loosely intended — to protect pilot safety.

However, you can’t allow your need for everything to go swimmingly cripple your forward motion. Ask yourself the following question when perfectionism threatens to keep you from doing something you know you should:

In five years, will it matter?

When you look at the situation this way, you see that literally no one — not even the office’s most boastful fashionista — will remember your chipped nail polish at the holiday party. It won’t even cross your mind as you enjoy your new office in your coveted department.

Keep Going Instead of Letting Perfectionism Weigh You Down

Perfectionism can weigh you down without you knowing it by paralyzing you with fear when you know you should act. Take back your power by declaring that you are human and proud of it — then rock your next accomplishment!


GET THE BOOK BY
ERIN FALCONER!

Erin shows overscheduled, overwhelmed women how to do less so that they can achieve more. Traditional productivity books—written by men—barely touch the tangle of cultural pressures that women feel when facing down a to-do list. How to Get Sh*t Done will teach you how to zero in on the three areas of your life where you want to excel, and then it will show you how to off-load, outsource, or just stop giving a damn about the rest.

51 Responses to How the Idea of Perfection Could Be Weighing You Down Without You Knowing

  1. LloydTax says:

    Hi, here on the forum guys advised a cool Dating site, be sure to register – you will not REGRET it [url=https://bit.ly/384HTnk]https://bit.ly/384HTnk[/url]

  2. Нина says:

    249. (Used when you meet the woman on an airplane) “Gee, I didn’t know angels could fly as fast as an airliner. How did you get inside without depressurizing the cabin?”

  3. יפנית סקסית בסקס עם פוט פטיש חובה צפייה

  4. בלונדינית מזדיינת חזק וגומרת תוך כדי שהגבר מזיין אותה – זיון חזק ודביק

  5. Williamfug says:

    Как зайти на гидру? Этим вопросом задаются все пользователи гидры, каждый день приходится искать рабочее зеркало гидры т.к. изо дня в день зеркала банятся правительством и доступа к ресурсу нет, использовать VPN сложно и дорого, тор на английском языке что тоже не всем подходит. Специально для максимального облегчения этой задачи мы разработали наш сайт. Для открытия hydra onion ссылка Вам нужно перейти по актуальному рабочему зеркалу указанному выше или либо скопировать ссылку для тор браузера которая также указана на нашем сайте и открыть ее в тор браузере, после чего пройти регистрацию, пополнить баланс и радоваться покупкам. Не забывайте помогать развитию портала делитесь нашим ресурсом с друзьями и знакомыми.

  6. אדריאנה צעירה סקסית בטירוף בסקס עם החבר שמפנק אותה ואז מזיין אותנה חזק

  7. София says:

    249. (Used when you meet the woman on an airplane) “Gee, I didn’t know angels could fly as fast as an airliner. How did you get inside without depressurizing the cabin?”

  8. Thanks a lot. Terrific stuff!
    Best Essay writing
    custom writings review https://essayreviews.net/the-essays-com/

  9. Perfectionism is such a slippery slope. You used the example of your dog but I even notice this with my son. Sometimes I forget he’s only 5, he’s going to spill and make mistakes. Thanks for this important reminder.

  10. Особенности и преимущества сайта Гидра ?

    Основным преимуществом маркетплейса заключается в том, что покупатели и продавцы соблюдают полную анонимность. К тому же пройдя на сайт hydraruzxpnew4af и зарегистрировавшись, вы получите удобный личный кабинет и виртуальную корзину для покупок. Ассортимент магазинов Гидры постоянно пополняется. Для покупателей реализована анонимная оплата товаров при помощи криптовалюты биткоин.

    Что делать, если сайт Гидра не открывается

    Бывают ситуации, когда сайт Hydra не открывается. Во многих странах его блокируют провайдеры. В этом случае используйте зеркало сайта или VPN-подключение. Также можно изменить прокси-сервер. Во многих случаях такой метод помогает.

  11. berkey says:

    My partner and I stumbled over here different website and thought I might check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to checking out your web page again.|

  12. Keep working ,splendid job!

  13. Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Very helpful info specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this particular info for a long time. Thank you and good luck.

  14. Would you like to have your work published on one of the biggest, baddest blogs in the world?
    It isn’t easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight. And, clearly, great comments alone won’t catapult you to world domination.
    카지노사이트

  15. But they’re a critical, often-overlooked component. And most people who try it write comments that suck.
    They’re capable of getting other bloggers to sit up, take notice, and ask themselves: “Who is that?”
    바카라사이트추천

  16. Comments are perhaps the most misused — and least understood — weapons in the ambitious blogger’s arsenal.
    You now understand the anatomy of the perfect blog comment, so you can start crafting your comments with purpose.
    카지노사이트

  17. aimixmaquina says:

    Hi! This post could not be written any better!

  18. thanks for sharing such a beautiful information with us. Please keep Sharing. see

  19. Tommy says:

    Select exactly how to smoke CBD by selecting a CBD smokable: CBD cigarettes, CBD pre rolls, or CBD blossoms. CBD cigarettes are shareable and also practical on-the-go, CBD pre rolls use a familiar cannabis feel and a higher CBD web content that CBD cigarettes, and also CBD flowers permit you to make your very own CBD tea or pre rolls as you want https://purekana.com/.

    The firm you purchase your CBD smokables from can not be called to account in the occurrence of a misconception of the product’s real nature. Acquire and take in sensibly. Smoking cigarettes has been revealed to trigger possible long term effects on the lungs.

  20. opalmagic says:

    Check out the world’s best site for selling opal rings opal jewelry

  21. Crude oil futures tumbled more than 6% due to demand concerns amid a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
    카지노사이트

  22. Germany extended its lockdown to April 18. A U.S. health agency said the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine developed with Oxford University may have included outdated information in its data, further fueling investor concerns over the recovery.
    메리트카지노

  23. And it will also aim to tilt a technological balance of power back to the United States and Europe as government leaders on both continents have become concerned about the risks of a concentration of chipmaking in Taiwan given tensions
    카지노사이트

  24. Intel said it expects $72 billion in revenue and adjusted earnings per share of $4.55, compared with analyst estimates of $72.9 billion and $4.77 per share, according to Refinitiv data. The company said it expects to spend $19 billion to $20 billion on capital expenditures.카지노사이트

  25. Intel is one of the few remaining semiconductor companies that both designs and manufactures its own chips. Rival chip designers such as Qualcomm Inc and Apple Inc rely on contract manufacturers.
    카지노사이트

  26. That will include spending $20 billion on two new factories at an existing campus in Chandler, Arizona, that will create 3,000 permanent jobs. Intel will then work on future sites in the United States and in Europe, Gelsinger said.
    카지노사이트

  27. racesite.pro says:

    Excellent blog you have here.. It’s hard to find good quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
    https://www.racesite.pro

  28. What’s up, of course this article is in fact nice and I have learned lot of things from it regarding blogging. thanks. https://www.powerball365.info

  29. akdii23423 says:

    강남카지노바서울카지노,강남카지노

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.