Coaching for Perfectionism
Perfectionism, always chasing after being flawlessly awesome,
is something us HSPs try to achieve in our daily lives.
We often think that if everything is perfect, we'll feel happy and successful. But the truth is, it's not as great as it seems (or even attainable!)
Perfectionism can be a real pain that just adds stress, worry, overthinking, and insecurity to our already overwhelmed, sensitive brains.
The Myth of Perfection
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Perfectionism is a total fake-out (except on Instagram....lol). It's like this crazy high standard that we can never actually hit, which just leaves us feeling bummed out about ourselves and our accomplishments all the time. It's this never-ending struggle of constantly comparing ourselves to others (especially non-HSPs), being super hard on ourselves, and freaking out about failing. And you know what? Trying to be perfect can actually robs us of living a full life and that's just sad.
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The Cost of Being a Perfectionist
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While striving for excellence can be a positive trait, perfectionism takes it to an extreme level. Here are some ways in which perfectionism can really take a toll:
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Anxiety and Stress: Constantly aiming for perfection can lead to high levels of anxiety and stress, as the fear of not meeting unrealistic standards looms over us.
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Being Too Hard on Ourselves: Perfectionists, especially highly sensitive ones, have a tendency to be their own worst critics. Every little mistake or failure becomes a chance to beat ourselves up.
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Delaying Tasks: The fear of not getting things done perfectly can seriously affect how much we actually get accomplished. We often end up procrastinating and completely avoiding tasks just to avoid the possible disappointment of not doing it exactly right.
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Feeling Crummy About Ourselves: Perfectionism can really mess with our confidence. When we don't meet our own impossibly high standards, it can make us feel like we're not up to par or don't even deserve any recognition.
So, um yeah, being a perfectionist is a real challenge.
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Embracing Imperfection
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Instead of chasing an unattainable goal, what if we chose to embrace imperfection? (I'm sorry.....what???)
Embracing imperfection isn't about being okay with being just "meh," it's more like knowing that messing up or having flaws is totally normal and everyone does it.
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Here's how embracing imperfection can lead to a more fulfilling life:
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Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, just as you would a bestie. Acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes, everyone. Let me say that again, everyone.
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Learning from Failures: Instead of looking at it from the perspective of "what went wrong" look at it as "what can I learn from this" or "what was the lesson here?"
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Enjoying the Journey: Let go of the need for everything to be perfect, and enjoy the process rather than obsessing over the end result.
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Breaking Free from Perfectionism
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Getting rid of perfectionism is a journey that starts with self-awareness and self-compassion. Here are some steps you can take:
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Challenge Perfectionist Thoughts: Take on and fight those perfectionist thoughts! Find them and question them, then swap them out for something more realistic.
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Practice Mindfulness: Be present and mindful, focusing on the here and now rather than thinking about past mistakes or worrying about the future. It's important to remember: we can't change the past and we can't control the future so why give it so much of our time?
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Celebrate Small Wins: Even small achievements are worth acknowledging. Focus on progress instead of fixating on perfection.
