Overcoming Perfectionism
Posted March 9, 2020
We do not live in a perfect world; therefore, we should not expect everything to be perfect. Why do we do this? We do not like for others to see our flaws. We do not like to believe that we have flaws, but we do and that is what makes us unique as individuals.
Perfectionism is something that many people struggle with on a daily basis whether they have awareness about it or not. We may think that our school life has to be perfect, and that a GPA below a 4.0 is unacceptable. We may even think that our social life has to be perfect. By thinking this, we stress ourselves out even more because this is not a perfect world so nothing in this world will be perfect.
Perfectionism can be associated with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, high levels of stress and suicide risk.
To me, perfectionism is believing or having the mindset that everything you do has to be perfect, and you will not accept it if it is not.
Tips for overcoming perfectionism:
- Accept your flaws, knowing that we make mistakes as humans, but we live and learn.
- Understand that good is good enough because it is an experience that you can learn from.
- Remind yourself that you are doing great, regardless of the circumstances.
- Get the help you need to overcome this battle.
- Therapy is a great resource for those struggling with perfectionism.
- SIUE Counseling Services is a beneficial resource here on campus concerning stress, anxiety, depression, etc.
- SIUE Academic Advising is a great resource for school-related issues.
- Professors on campus are a great resource for course-related issues.
Benefits of overcoming perfectionism
- You become less stressed. You are not so worried about things being a specific way. You are okay with what you can achieve.
- You become a free individual, living freely in the moment and taking every experience gratefully.
- You become one with self. You are allowing yourself to not only make mistakes, but you learn from your experiences to shape you into the unique individual you are.
- You are accepting of your true self.
Next time you feel like perfectionism is trying to overcome you, remember to overcome it! You are stronger than anything you go through in life. Pick your head up, and tell yourself, “my experiences make me unique.”
Author: Tiara Perkins, senior, public health major
