Have you ever caught yourself obsessing over a tiny detail, convinced that everything must be flawless? I certainly have. I can remember spending hours agonizing over a presentation, tweaking every slide until the wee hours of the morning. Blearily eyed I’d stare at my computer screen, head in my hands, asking ”Why am I doing this to myself!” Was this pursuit of perfection serving me, or holding me back? (that’s rhetorical, it wasn’t serving me!) Recalling this moment of clarity got me thinking about how often we, as high-achieving women, fall into the perfection trap, and the impact it has on our resilience. Perfectionism isn’t just about high standards; it’s a double-edged sword that can both drive us and drain us. While striving for excellence can lead to great achievements, unchecked perfectionism can be a major obstacle to our well-being and resilience. I recently worked with a client, let’s call her Emma, who was facing this struggle. A successful business owner and mother of three, Emma prided herself on her meticulous attention to detail. “If it’s not perfect, it’s not worth doing,” she often said. I get it, I have often thought that way. But I have learned to change my self-talk to “If it is worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly!” And I can tell you, it has been a game changer. Look, my “doing it poorly” isn’t shoddy, but it is a rung down from “driving myself (and maybe others around me) crazy”. I shared this with Emma and it helped her recognize that her mindset, and mantra, were keeping her in a constant state of stress, unable to delegate, and missing out on precious moments with her family. Does this resonate with you? Have you ever felt paralyzed by the fear of not meeting your own impossibly high standards? Overcoming perfectionism isn’t about lowering your standards; it’s about redefining success and building resilience. By learning to embrace imperfection, we open ourselves up to growth, creativity, and a more balanced life. Here are a couple of strategies Emma and I worked on together: The "Good Enough" Challenge: We established a daily practice of intentionally doing one task at 80% effort. This helped Emma learn that the world doesn’t fall apart when things aren’t perfect. For instance, Emma decided to send an email without obsessively proofreading it five times. To her surprise, not only did the recipient understand the message perfectly, but Emma also gained back valuable time in her day. Does this ring true for you? If so I encourage you to try this as well. Choose one task today and deliberately aim for “good enough” instead of perfect. Notice how it feels and what you gain from it. Reframing “Mistakes” as “Learning Opportunities”: Emma started keeping a “Growth Journal” where she recorded things that didn’t go as planned and what she learned from them. One entry read: “Presentation glitch - slide transition didn’t work. Learned to always have a backup plan and that I can think on my feet.” This practice helped Emma see that imperfections often lead to valuable insights and personal growth. How might your life change if you started celebrating your imperfections instead of hiding them? Here is a downloadable PDF that can help you track “Good Enough” as well as “Mistake Moments” and what you learned from them. Keep it simple and try it for ONLY 1 or 2 days. Bach Flower Wisdom Rock WaterFlower essences are a natural and safe way to heal unwanted thoughts, feelings, and concerns. The remedy Rock Water can be especially helpful for those struggling with perfectionism. It supports flexibility and self-acceptance, helping to soften rigid expectations of oneself. This week, I challenge you to embrace one imperfection each day. Start small - maybe leave a dish in the sink overnight or wear mismatched socks. Notice how it feels to let go of that need for perfection. I’m curious, what are your thoughts? What’s one area where you tend to be overly perfectionist? How might embracing imperfection in this area free up your energy and time? Warmly,
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