today's topic, boys and girls is.....perfectionism. have you ever had the desire to do something perfectly....? whether a hobby or task, when you were a kid, an adult, whatever? I sure have. (to forestall you, anonymous... no, you are not perfect.)
perfectionism may seem like an okay trait to have, if you're going to have a trait, but like any trait it has its good and bad points. I remember when I was a sweet, innocent young girl of 11.....
*insert wayne and garth effect here*
picture a cute (read: dorky) kid with a long blond pony tail, sitting at at her humble dining room table. she bends her head diligently (read: unwillingly) over her homework... a writing assignment. picture this going on for about 45 minutes...with no writing taking place. oh, the frustration of writing assignments!!!!! my mother would try to help me get going.... but to no avail. I was stuck. probably the youngest case of writer's block in history.
you see, I felt that whatever was written on that fragile piece of college-lined paper had to be perfectly WELL-CONCEIVED and INTERESTING and WELL-WRITTEN- immediately! I seemed to be unaware that....... ON THE OTHER END OF MY PENCIL, THERE WAS AN ERASER!
despite the years of frustrations and headaches, I can't really complain: perfectionism has given me lots of success in many venues. and yet, even as I enjoy the successes, I have to try to slay the dragon, bit by bit, as it rears its head on all fronts (hmmmm.... I think that's a pretty questionable metaphor. but I'm okay with that! I'm not a perfectionist anymore. or perhaps I could say I'm a recovering perfectionist. or.... oh damn, there I go again. never mind.)
yes, I work on accepting imperfection "in all its beautifully imperfect manifestations" (my new mantra). and it makes it easier, as I go along, if I can celebrate the battles I've already won: for example, nowadays, a mere two decades later, I'm writing everyday in my blog! I'm relaxed about writing, I enjoy it, and if my blog is craptastic, that's okay! after all, you're reading it anyway!
now please excuse me, I've got to go neaten up my sidebar.
************************
"have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it."
salvador dali
****************************************
Suscribirse a:
Comentarios de la entrada (Atom)
4 comentarios:
It's funny that you mentioned writing, because in my mind it's one of the most imperfect, flawed, and malleable art forms around.
ha! that's true.
I guess that's why I couldn't get started ;)
ah lorider my dear, you are perfect without even trying! ;)
I think that the first step for you is to accept the fact that perfection is only found in the breath of god. And me.
Here is a quote from the 365 Zen calander that I have hanging in my cube -
"True enlightenment and wholeness arise when we are without anxiety about nonperfection."
Publicar un comentario