Only he who does nothing makes a mistake. — French proverb

Hi. I’m Kit, and I’m a Perfectionist. This doesn’t mean I do things perfectly, just that I think I should do things perfectly. But I’m only human. I make mistakes. Nothing I do is ever perfect. And yet I still expect perfection.

This mindset gets in my way all the time. It keeps me from doing things I enjoy, things that make me feel good, things that keep me healthy and balanced. Soul-feeding things, like making from scratch something I see in my head. Necessary life things, like cleaning and organizing the house. Social things, like reaching out to friends.

I think of what I would like to do, and then I think of twenty reasons not to do it. Most of the reasons are about why it won’t go perfectly — I’m too tired, it’s not the best time, I don’t have what I need. But ultimately, the fear is that it won’t turn out the way I would like. I’ll make a mistake or fall short of my goal. I won’t be able to achieve my vision. and I’ll have wasted my time.

I need to remember that it’s OK to do things imperfectly. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. Just because it doesn’t turn out as I expected or hoped doesn’t mean I wasted my time. If I spend my time doing things I enjoy, how is that ever a waste?