Challenging Perfectionism
I am a recovering perfectionist. You too?
Perfectionism is a draining, pointless pursuit. I’ve found that what works best for me when I hear it growl, is to stay on my side, and not allow that critical, inner perfectionistic voice to be the boss of me. When I hear it chastising me, trying to make me feel not enough, I say, So what! Like, if I forgot to mail a bill, or dropped a plate, or overworked a painting, and it starts fussing, I take a deep breath and say, So what!
Speaking those words out loud makes me laugh, makes me feel stronger, more able to hold my space. I repeat and repeat until this Voice backs off, and then I cheer for myself, eat some cookies, and continue on My Way.
How do you encourage your critical, perfectionistic inner voice to take a hike?