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Monday, June 16, 2014

Motivation Monday: Perfection

{BrainyQuote.com}
I spent much of my life striving for perfection, not just for me, but for everyone around me. I never achieved it and I eventually learned that I needed to do things for ME not for everyone else. That doesn't mean being selfish, it does mean taking care of YOU so you can do better for others.

Now my house isn't spotless but it's comfortable. My clothes aren't the most stylish but they reflect me. My writing has errors and I can laugh when others point them out to me.

I'm happy.

Have you ever struggled with trying to be perfect? Do you still think that's important? Have you stopped being a perfectionist AND stopped expecting it in others?

2 comments:

  1. I can relate on so many fronts. As a homeschooler, I used to make myself crazy playing the comparison game: did other people's kids do a bigger variety of things? Did my kids need to take violin lessons, swim lessons, Tae Kwon Do, make art projects, and speak four languages? I had to come to the conclusion that there are a lot of really good things out there, but only a certain number of things were good for our family at any particular point in time.

    Same thing with myself. My house is never tidy since people live in it. I'm not at my ideal weight, I don't know what's fashionable, and I could probably list many ways the world tells me I fall short. But I'm content. I have a husband who loves me and treats me great and kids who are funny as all get-out.

    Contentment is closer to "perfection" than most people realize. We can never be joyful if we're busy thinking about what "should" have happened, rather than what is happening right now in our lives.

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  2. Absolutely perfect post for me as I write historical fiction as well . . . Love that meme and quote from Salvador Dali. Reminds me of the saying from Voltaire that "Sometimes the pursuit of perfection is the enemy of the good!" Setting priorities helps, but when we face a large and complex task that we want to do well at, striving for perfection can lead to far too much stress. What a welcome reminder of how to keep priorities balanced. Beth http://bethandwriting.blogspot.com

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