Suzan Svatek

Do you demand perfection in all areas of your life, from home to work and everything in between? It seems like a noble aspiration…even one we should all possibly strive for. However, perfectionism actually makes people miserable. Perfectionistic attitudes can defeat you when you least expect it causing depression. Overcoming perfectionism can be challenging since it is generally a very deep-seated habit.

Perfectionists encounter many problems with everyday living. They usually feel they are letting down those around them (including themselves) in both personal and professional relationships. They have to understand that NOTHING is ever perfect. Life is full of uncertainty. According to Alistair Ostell, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Bradford Management Center in England, perfectionists are more susceptible to emotional and physical problems. They often show symptoms of insomnia, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, depression and heart palpitations. These symptoms occur at a much higher rate than in those who are more flexible or open-minded.

“If there’s one thing perfectionism does, it rigidifies behavior,” author Hara Estroff Marano says in his Psychology Today article. “It constricts people just when the fast-moving world requires more flexibility and comfort with ambiguity than ever. It turns people into success slaves.”

Perfectionism, at its most extreme, can actually paralyze people when their compulsive desire to be perfect overrides reality. This leads to stress-related illnesses, relationship problems, low self-esteem, a decrease in productivity and sometimes as extreme as suicidal thoughts.

How do you know if perfectionism is paralyzing you? Do you ever think the following self-limiting beliefs? How often do the following limiting beliefs keep you from achieving your goals and dreams?

- I must rigidly control everything in my life
- People will not like me if I am not perfect
- If someone criticizes me, they must be stupid
- If I didn’t achieve a goal, I must be a failure
- It’s NOT OK to make a mistake
- I get depressed when something doesn’t come out like I planned
- If I can’t do it to my standards, I just won’t do it

“This is not to say that you shouldn’t strive to do your best. It’s just that if you force yourself to be perfect all the time you’ll never feel like you are,” Hale Dwoskin of the Sedona Method says. “The best way to release your desire for perfection is to let go of wanting to be perfect or to create perfection,” he continues. “It is also extremely helpful to allow yourself to love or accept yourself as you are. The more you love and accept yourself as you are, and the more you allow yourself to accept your performance, the happier you’ll feel, and the more likely you’ll be to produce stellar results.”

It’s helpful to note that even the 7 wonders of the world are not perfect. Let go of the feeling that you must be perfect and placing unrealistic expectations upon yourself. The reality is that even if you’re not perfect, you can still be GREAT. Overcoming Perfectionism can greatly free up your creativity and allow you to become the person you were meant to be.

Being in a home based business for myself, and working out of my home sometimes feels a little lonely. When I start to feel isolated, I know it’s time for a good dose of laughter. Laughter is one of the simple joys of life; and recent studies say we need 12 laughs a day just to stay healthy!

The following was taken from “Laughter is an Instant Vacation”. It’s contents will make you laugh out loud.

Here’s a little sampling that I hope will make your day a little brighter!

If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel.
-Will Kommen

I once shook hands with Pat Boone and my whole right side sobered up.
-Dean Martin

I’m not going to vacuum ’til Sears makes one you can ride on.
-Roseanne Barr

The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for 30 years she served us nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.
-Calvin Trillin

My grandmother was a very tough woman. She buried three husbands and two of them were just napping.
-Rita Rudner

My husband wanted one of those big-screen TV’s for his birthday. So I just moved his chair closer to the one we have already.
-Wendy Liebman

I hate housework! You make the beds, you do the dishes – and six months later you have to start all over again.
-Joan Rivers

My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn’t need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle.
-Henny Youngman

Inside me there’s a thin person struggling to get out, but I can usually sedate him with four or five cupcakes.
-Bob Thaves

He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
-Ben Franklin

I haven’t spoken to my wife in years. I didn’t want to interrupt her.
-Rodney Dangerfield

My doctor is wonderful. Once, when I couldn’t afford an operation, he touched up the x-rays.
-Joey Bishop

These made me laugh. I hope they do the same for you.

YOUR DAILY MOTIVATION:

Serenity

SUCCESS IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

Every situation, properly perceived, becomes an opportunity.
But you have to act on them if you’re going to be successful.
 
Distant pastures always look greener than those close at hand, but real opportunities are right where you are.

You must simply take advantage of them when they appear.
You can start where you are at any time.
 
Success is all around you.

It’s not in your environment, it’s not in luck or chance,
or in the help of others.

Success is in you alone.
 
You don’t need more strength or more ability or greater opportunity.
What you need is to use what you have.

Learn to seize good fortune, for it is always around you. 
You must go to success, it doesn’t come to you.
Open your own doors to opportunity.