Today let’s talk about perfection.
Have you ever felt like you had to have things just so – that everything had to be perfect?
A good friend of mine once said that he remembered as a teenager trying to fold his slacks perfectly on the hanger. If he could only do that, everything would somehow work out. His world was dangerous and out of control because of the drinking in the family, but getting it just right seemed to be the answer – folding the slacks with a perfect crease. For me it was pulling the weeds in the back yard. I remember sitting for hours pulling weeds, knowing that if I missed one, there was going to be an explosive and dangerous scene to face. As an adult, I’ve had to learn to be OK if it’s not all just perfect. Now, I just try for small steps of progress.
Have you ever felt like a perfectionist?
Photo Credit
“Mind Your Step” by shortformvideo @ flickr.com – Creative Commons. Some rights reserved.
Dan L. Hays offers encouragement for adult children of alcoholics.
The podcasts of these episodes can be found at: Minute to Freedom
For me, it was cleaning house. If only the house was perfectly clean, there’d be no chaos. I learned this: “It’s a waste of time to wait to do everything perfectly. In order to grow, it’s necessary to attempt new skills. Let go of the limiting controls of perfectionism!”
Interesting, Lynn – I’ve heard that from several people that cleaning was their way of coping with chaos. Yes, it is important to try new things, and let go of perfectionism, for sure! Glad to see you here, and thanks for stopping by to comment! 🙂