AMAZING RESULTS WITHOUT PERFECTIONISM?
Date Published: November 25, 2013
“I’m NOT a perfectionist!! If I were, I would do things better!” The moment I heard myself say that, I knew I was on to something.
Perfectionism has a strangling effect on my mind and in my heart; at the same time mediocre effort and work annoy me deeply. How can I balance the two!? If we don’t aim for perfection, can something be amazing!? Would you then attribute the results to luck or a poor assessment of reality?
Recently I was in NYC for 4 days, as I came back I organized a women’s event, then had two days of the Women’s Success Summit conference, a 3rd day of business model brainstorming and in the midst of it all I began to move out of my apartment. Also, my two boys were around through all of this and I was doing my best to be a present mom. Many things were happening! LIFE on full throttle!!!!
The not so Great:
1) Mediation and Gym cut down. Once back in Miami I was tired from messing up my schedule with late nights in NYC; I preferred to sleep an extra hour. I stopped my morning meditation practice which has shown benefits. With the traveling and conferences going on, working out in the morning was hard to accomplish.
2) Eating poorly. There was no time for Whole Foods that week. I stopped by Costco coming back from the airport so I did not get our healthy organic veggies and fruits. I ended up taking my boys to have sugary breakfast at Starbucks several mornings and injecting caffeine into my body. Wasn’t I determined to have them eat healthy meals?!
3) Lack of Focus. My boys white board with their to do list was moved (so they got lazy with their tasks) and I also stopped setting intention for myself each day so I was just going with the flow.
Oh so humbling to see my distractions! It was a powerful reminder to be more alert next time to busy schedules and change so I can plan better to maintain balance and direction.
The Good:
1) Karma Yoga. Flying to NYC wasn’t something I wanted to do, especially since I had someone special I wanted to be with in Miami. At the same time I wanted my boys to spend time with their dad and I had committed to it. I focused on the giving aspect of it and making the most of the trip.
2) Sisterhood. The weekend was a wonderful opportunity to bond with my younger sister and reconnect with old and dear friends I made when I lived in the city. My women’s group and the women’s conference allowed me to strengthen relationships and meet amazing women.
3) Clarity. The open minded nature of those days allowed me to let go of my current views to completely review and redirect the way I have been approaching my projects and my life. The relative chaos of those days (the list of not so Great!) allowed me to see the power of focusing and having my energies aligned.
What does perfect mean? It’s an opinion and a form a judgement. If I have an unbending urgency to do things according to stringent standards, I can be upset when they don’t come out as I expected. This attitude could also make me look down at people who do things differently than I do. Feelings of frustration or superiority take us away from love and peace and that is the first indicator that there is a better way.
All these results I listed have had a powerful effect on my life. Instead of clinging to perfection, I did my best and I’m grateful for all of them. I wouldn’t change any of them. I accept the outcomes without complaints or blame and I can now incorporate changes for a better outcome next time.
True growth comes from stumbling along the path and knowing in the gut what works and what doesn’t. Next time I will be more prepared for an intense week and it will come from awareness instead of the rigidity of the illusion of perfection.
Love. Light. Laughter.
Mena
@menafesting