Part of the ego reduction necessary to our recovery is the acceptance of the fact that we are not and never will be perfect. Perfectionism gets in the way of recovery because it imposes impossible, unrealistic goals which guarantee failure. If we do not think we have to be perfect, then we can accept our mistakes as learning experiences and be willing to try again.
Deepening acquaintance with our Higher Power is good insurance against perfectionism. We come to believe that God accepts and loves us as we are, and this gives us the courage and humility to accept ourselves.
We are not perfect, but we are growing. In spite of our weaknesses, we can serve others according to God's plan for our lives. Accepting our own limitations makes us more tolerant of the faults and weaknesses of those around us. Together, we progress.
I am thankful that I don't need to be perfect.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
What a load off my shoulders that is! My father was a perfectionist and I was treated very critically, and, not loved. I was told I was not lovable and that that was why. Thus, I thought that if I was 'better' then I would be accepted and loved, so I became a better person but was still not accepted or loved. I thought, well, I have to be even better, so I became even better, but was still not accepted or loved. I drew the conclusion that I would have to be 'perfect' in order to be accepted and loved. I knew I would never be 'perfect' and I gave up.
I came to realize that this idea of 'perfect' is just one person's idea of what 'perfect ' is, or even a group's idea of what perfect is, but that idea of what 'perfect' is may not be 'perfect' in anybody else's eyes but theirs. I don't have to be my mother's idea of 'perfect', or my father's, who has a different idea of what perfect is and the two don't agree.
I strive now to be the best I can be according to who God made me to be. To fulfill my potential and become wholly me. And to look at others the same way. I had to look at my son and let go of what I wanted him to be, and let him grow in his own way,,, as long as what he is doing is positive and constructive, eh?
Where does this 'thought for the day' come from, please?
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
I get these thoughts for the day emailed to me from Hazleden. They send one each day, but there are always a choice of them on their website. The address of the site is:-
I though that I wasn't a perfectionist because nothing I ever did was even remotely close to perfection. That is exactly what perfectionism is. It's not perfect ergo it's not good enough, no joy in life because it's not good enough. I'm glad now that I don't have to try to do things perfectly, and good enough is good enough.
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Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like no one is watching.
