The Happy Imperfect Life

Is perfectionism a good thing? Maybe not. A growing body of evidence suggests that perfectionism can be an extraordinarily damaging, cause overwhelming emotional suffering, and act as a cause of anxiety disorders. By rejecting failure, perfectionists also reject reality because our world is full of imperfection. Often, procrastination, risk-aversion, frustration, exhaustion, and lack of focus interfere with the ability to complete tasks to your high standards. For perfectionists, self-judgment is omnipresent, and anxiety is constantly looming as you anticipate the ways you can fall short.

Perfectionists typically believe that they can never be good enough, that mistakes are signs of personal flaws, and that the only route to acceptability as a person is to be perfect.  Ultimately, perfectionism leads to unhappiness. 

Strategies to Overcome Perfectionism:

•Set Realistic Goals: Aim for achievable, balanced objectives instead of perfect outcomes.

•Embrace Mistakes: View errors as learning opportunities rather than failures.

•Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend.

•Limit Comparisons: Focus on your own progress rather than measuring yourself against others.

•Mindfulness and Reflection: Stay present and celebrate your progress, not just the end results.

We must learn to live with life imperfections and embrace them with compassion to ourselves and other people, especially the people we love. Life isn’t perfect, and we will never find happiness if we only expect to find a perfect life.