Ever since I learned about this concept, it has been a game changer for me. I have been a life long striver perfectionist. Realizing I can take the foot off the gas and coast, that sometimes it's ok to just phone it in, makes a huge difference to me. I will continue ymto work on this concept as it relates to diet mentality, body image, food. I agree, it's the absolute core of self compassion.
You jogged a memory for me with this post. Decades ago, still in my 30’s, I was completely frozen and unable to start work on a series of books that I had a contract to write. I saw a therapist and told my fears. She smiled and said, “Aha! So you are a PERFECTIONIST.” I was surprised. I thought I was just a PROCRASTINATOR. Putting off stuff had been a lifelong problem from school homework to current job obligations. She explained that the procrastination was a SYMPTOM of my fear of not being perfect. Then she took out a long piece of paper and started to write something on it, claiming: “This will CURE you immediately!” The banner read: “Any job worth doing is worth doing HALF-ASSED!” She asked me how many pages of a book I could do in a week-if I do a half-assed job. I came up with a number, and by the next week I had written the pages. I displayed the banner on my bulletin board. In my career as writer and screenwriter, that saying has served me well! Thank you for reminding me!
Thanks for this. Someone said in January, "Why does every year have to be MY BIG YEAR? Why can't it just be a year?" It's helpful to think about doing it well and not having to do it perfectly.
100% to this! Any time New Year or Rosh Hashanah hits, I wish the conversation would be, "This new year will have ups and downs, just like last year...because that is how life is." It's more about how we handle the ups and downs than anything.
Ever since I learned about this concept, it has been a game changer for me. I have been a life long striver perfectionist. Realizing I can take the foot off the gas and coast, that sometimes it's ok to just phone it in, makes a huge difference to me. I will continue ymto work on this concept as it relates to diet mentality, body image, food. I agree, it's the absolute core of self compassion.
I agree; it's such a game-changer..and something we all continue to work on! Thank you for sharing.
You jogged a memory for me with this post. Decades ago, still in my 30’s, I was completely frozen and unable to start work on a series of books that I had a contract to write. I saw a therapist and told my fears. She smiled and said, “Aha! So you are a PERFECTIONIST.” I was surprised. I thought I was just a PROCRASTINATOR. Putting off stuff had been a lifelong problem from school homework to current job obligations. She explained that the procrastination was a SYMPTOM of my fear of not being perfect. Then she took out a long piece of paper and started to write something on it, claiming: “This will CURE you immediately!” The banner read: “Any job worth doing is worth doing HALF-ASSED!” She asked me how many pages of a book I could do in a week-if I do a half-assed job. I came up with a number, and by the next week I had written the pages. I displayed the banner on my bulletin board. In my career as writer and screenwriter, that saying has served me well! Thank you for reminding me!
Thanks for this. Someone said in January, "Why does every year have to be MY BIG YEAR? Why can't it just be a year?" It's helpful to think about doing it well and not having to do it perfectly.
100% to this! Any time New Year or Rosh Hashanah hits, I wish the conversation would be, "This new year will have ups and downs, just like last year...because that is how life is." It's more about how we handle the ups and downs than anything.