Perfection

A goal I reach towards way too often. I want to appear to be all together and that’s just not the case. Don’t get me wrong, I have made a lot of progress in life and have done some great things. And as much as some one could go over my resume, it is not enough to sustain a meaningful life.

Being great, doing your best, working hard, those are the things to strive for. When we seek to be perfect, we place and unjust pressure upon ourselves. I know I just made that communal and that may not be your thing, so I take it back. Make those “I-statements”. Now, where was I? Oh Yes. Perfection produces pressure. I know great things are formed under pressure, but there comes a time when we need to breathe. We are humans. We are flawed. And this time I meant to be communal.

I have been trying to be my understanding of “perfect”. The perfect daughter, sister, aunt, friend, pastor, (fill in the blank title). In my effort to appear perfect I have put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself. I stress out about things that are minute. I hide my feelings which just well up and burst forth like a cloud on the rainiest day. [It’s monsoon season]. This pressure to be perfect comes from my own personality traits. I have a tendency to be a people pleaser. I know that may sound crazy to some, but it’s true and it is tiresome. In this current season I am learning more about me. Taking time to understand me better. It has been painful and beautiful all in the same breath.

What are you learning about you?

Are there any tools you are using? For me I love the Myers Briggs Personality Test and Keirsey Temperament and the Enneagram. Right now, the Enneagram is proving the most helpful and complete with the insights of the other 2. These are tools that help provide understanding. When we are honest about our actual behavior and our motivations these tools can be very useful.

We Don’t have to be perfect we simply have to be. Give the gift of being to yourself and see how things flow. We are all on a quest to be better than we were yesterday. Enjoy the ride don’t rush it.

Until next time,

Here’s to being Healthy, Happy, Whole!