How to Stop Stressing About Being Perfect

The hardest thing, and the most amazing thing, is to stop being perfect and start working on yourself. ”~ Anna Quindlen

I eventually learned that I was not Superman.

It was a difficult idea for me to understand. You see, I was always a good kid. One who does everything without complaining or being monitored. I was the one who didn't need help at school, who could plan, who did the work without being asked twice.

As I grew up the idea that I was a “child / good person” grew. My marks should have been complete. My job had to be perfect. I had to get along with everyone I met.

Needless to say, this transition to perfection brought me a lot of stress. Stress to the point that I literally pulled out my hair. I know you see that animation and stuff, but it really happened to me.

I didn't even know I was doing it until one day I looked in the mirror after my bath and saw a bald spot. I had solved it for a long time without realizing it existed.

I realized I had to do something after that. I had to change something. I just wanted to quit. After all, if I weren’t a prefect, then what was the point of it all?

I rode my bicycle to depression, but even that pressure did not diminish my driving to perfection. I made it seem like I was doing well. I worked every day, doing my own household chores, and even sharing in the activities of those around me.

After a while of this vain life, I started to get angry. Why did no one notice that I was in pain? Why was there no response to this change?

I slowly made my way to the screaming stop, sighing as the conditions in my life piled up: the death of a family member, the illness of another, my whole car, my job on the brink.

Explosion, explosion, explosion. One after another.

Nothing was perfect now, and I didn't see any way to make it perfect. It was hopeless, everything.

So, in the end, I stopped being perfect.

At first, it seemed strange to me. Leaving things unfinished. Doing things in the middle. Not getting out of my way of making everything seem okay. I thought the world would collapse. But it did not happen.

Some people begin to relax. Things that I thought were important have been postponed without results. 110 percent unemployment didn’t make the world go down around my head.

Without hesitation, I began to look around. I started to do things that pleased me instead of things that needed to be done. I said no when people asked for help. I left dishes in the sink and trash in the tin. I ate without cooking. I ate what I wanted and not what I thought was right. I would watch TV when I wanted to and sleep when I wanted to and not worry about what I should do instead.

And you know what?

It was okay.

Shockingly, there was little difference in my life between working hard and enjoying it. A little different from the others. However, it was a big difference in my mental health. I found that I could do more with less. Less work, less stress, less perfection.

I would enjoy life without perfection.

I'm not saying my change wasn't an argument. My family was not happy about the sudden increase in their employment. Those little things that I used to do now could not be done. If they want to do it they have to do it themselves.

The little things they took for granted simply became scarce and my ever-present and consistent presence became something that should have been asked rather than relied on.

It gave me the strength to say no. So that there is no contact. Enjoying without guilt or stress.

I found that I could now enjoy and look forward to the things that had pressured me before. That the whole experience was not an opportunity to cheat but an opportunity to learn something new. That doing new things was good, even though I had no good in them at first.

It is good to strive for the good, but it is not worth the effort. If you would like to take a page from my book and learn to enjoy imperfections:

1. Accept the fact that perfection is beyond your reach.

No one can be perfect; that's what makes us human. However, you must not only accept the fact that you will not be perfect, but also rejoice in the fact that imperfection makes you different from most other people. Being perfect can make everyone feel the same. It is our imperfection that makes us unique and special in this world.

2. Say no.

When you try for perfection, it's hard to say no. He wants to make them completely happy. You want to be the perfect partner, sibling, or friend. However, taking in more items does not make you more perfect or a better person. It makes you even more stressed.

Saying no is not only good for your mental health but also good for others. Many times people will have to deal with their own problems, which will make them grow into stronger people. If you helped them, they would not have the opportunity to grow.

3. Try new things, even if you fail.

Being a perfectionist, it is hard to find the courage to try something that you have never done before for fear that you will be imperfect. However, that's fun to try something new! You learn and grow and become more than you were before. Staying upright is unhealthy for anyone. Acknowledge your mistakes and learn something new.

4. Let other things go.

We give priority to the things that really matter. Do you remember washing dishes, or having fun with your friends? Do you remember uploading files, or having a good conversation with a co-worker?

The more you learn to let the less important things go, the more time you have for the more important things. You also have more time to do what you enjoy than to do only what you need to do.