Episode 38 - Why Are You A Perfectionist?

by Erica Leniczek August 23, 2022

On this episode of The Rural Mindset Podcast™ I talk about reasons you might be a perfectionist and invite you to think about perfectionism from a different point of view.

Not a perfectionist, but know someone who is? Perfect! Use this episode to look at your loved one through a different lens and utilize this episode to find empathy and compassion towards them.

Perfectionism often seems like a trait that is great - right? You always do a great job, things look awesome, your life is aesthetically pleasing and you're always prepared to be the hostess with the most-ess.

But is that truly the case? For me, perfectionism used to stem from anxiety. I couldn't celebrate the learning process or making mistakes, because it meant I wasn't good... learning meant I didn't know something and that threatened my ego of being highly intellectual and smart. In high-school, I gave up and tried to even perfect not being good in school or embracing the fact that I loved being nerdy because the "cool kids" weren't highly academic. It wasn't until recently where I learned that to be smart, highly academic, and understand who I truly was as a person, that I had to let go of judgement, learn to make mistakes, and learn to celebrate the process rather than my success.

What if you gave up the need to be perfect and celebrated for your success, let me ask you this, if you focused on that and worked on the process, worked on celebrating learning, worked on celebrating small steps, worked on celebrating failures, instead of working on perfection - who would you be? Would you be a whole different person?

I am. I stopped drinking to control my anxiety. I stopped staying up worrying at night. I put this here podcast that you're listening to out there and started public speaking about mental health.

We’re not perfect, we make mistakes.

So instead, focus on what progress feels like. What that 1% is and how it feels to be DOING that 1%.

Perfectionism is a huge block from anxiety. It’s a block for us going forward confidently. It blocks so many people from their futures and what they can do, how they can be amazing and blocks people from sharing their gifts with the world. All because we are scared. Scared of what? Scared of people judging us? Scared of not being liked? Scared of being fools?

What, to me, is truly foolish, is being in authentic and people liking false versions of us because we are scared to fail or truly be ourselves so we mould ourselves into this socially acceptable version of this person we really aren't.

If the worst thing that happens is that someone doesn't like you because you made a mistake or were yourself, then they weren't truly in your corner anyways.

Let me ask you this...

What would happen if today, you allowed yourself to be imperfect? What would happen if you gave yourself permission to grow through mistakes?

We need to remember that our worth and value isn’t based on our achievements and that we are worthy just as we show up in the world.

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