Perfectionism, the refusal to accept any standard short of perfection, is soul-destroying and debilitating, sucking the joy out of everything from our work to our creative endeavours to our relationships. There are over eight billion people on the planet, and not one will ever manage to be perfect. Which begs the question: Why, if no one else has to be perfect, do you?
Feeling you have to be ‘perfect’ is a distorted way of making yourself ‘special’. It’s as if you believe there’s something more wrong with you than with everyone else. This might not be a conscious belief, but it’s there in how you treat and regard yourself. Defining yourself by your background, appearance, experiences, efforts, and perceived flaws leads to feelings of inadequacy.
You’ve never been below par. Striving, though, for the impossible and unnecessary ideal of perfection guarantees feeling like you’re not enough. Start noticing where you’re inadvertently expecting too much of yourself so you can break the cycle.
Building your self-esteem doesn’t have to be hard. Discover how just minutes a day with ‘100 Days of Baggage Reclaim’ can bring impactful mindset shifts, practical tips, and transformative tools.
I’ve been running Baggage Reclaim since September 2005, and I’ve spent many thousands of hours writing this labour of love. The site has been ad-free the entire time, and it costs hundreds of pounds a month to run it on my own. If what I share here has helped you and you’re in a position to do so, I would love if you could make a donation. Your support is so very much appreciated! Thank you.
Copyright Natalie Lue 2005-2025, All rights reserved. Written and express permission along with credit is needed to reproduce and distribute excerpts or entire pieces of my work.
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