The Unperfectionist

So many of us strive for perfection in our lives. But that will only add more pressure and anxiety to our midlife journey. Honestly, I’d rather prefer being an unperfectionist, a perfectly imperfect woman of a certain age. 

The unperfectionist is someone who has stopped comparing herself to others and freed herself from the need to be perfect, accepting herself just the way she is including her flaws and odds. 

The unperfectionist is not someone who holds herself to ridiculously high standards; she has realised people who are truly interested in herself don’t expect her to be perfect; they want her to be authentic. 

No, the unperfectionist doesn’t need to work harder, accomplish more, be smarter, funnier, thinner, or more accommodating. She knows some people will like her—and some won’t. And that’s OK. 

What’s psychologically more important than perfection for her it’s the drive toward betterment and the journey toward wholeness, and integration.

Perfectionism is a self-destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, live perfectly, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame – explains researcher and writer Brené Brown-. But there is something that is even more essential to living a wholehearted life, loving ourselves. Wholeheartedness is as much about embracing our tenderness and vulnerability as it is about developing knowledge and claiming power.

By becoming an unperfectionist, you will stop focusing on tiny imperfections in yourself, you feel freer to accept yourself and even to laugh about your little quirks and faults. Perfection does not exist in our lives because no one and nothing in life are ever perfect. We all make mistakes from time to time and we all learn from the mistakes that we make. That makes us human and helps us grow into better and stronger people. Be wise, age playfully!