How To Let Go Of Being Perfect

Do you have a need to be perfect?

Do you always want to try your very best even if that means you suffer?

Do you always have to do a perfect job?

Don’t you find that a struggle?  I know that I do.

I’ve always had desire/need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.  Let’s face it though – life isn’t perfect. A lot of things are actually outside of our control and yet we still try to change them, mould them to perfection. We often waste a lot of energy by trying too hard to make things “just right”. We often put ourselves out of our way to make things perfect.  We sacrifice our time, our energy and often don’t let our needs get met.

So what can we do about it?

Accept that some things we just can’t control and therefore they might not meet our high standards.  We most certainly waste energy on trying to perfect things we have no control over. So just let it go.  Try:

  • Even though I want everything to be perfect and I find it hard to accept things I can’t control, I accept all of my feelings anyway
  • Even though it’s hard to accept things not being perfect, I’m open to the possibility of letting go of this need to be perfect on things I can’t control
  • Even though I must have everything perfect, I’m open to accepting that I don’t have control over some things and I have to let them go

We are often very hard on ourselves and our high perfect standards. If this is an issue for you try the following statements:

  • Even though I’m my own worst critic, everything has to be perfect else I’m not good enough, I accept all of my feelings about this
  • Even though I’m highly critical of myself and everything has to be perfect, I’m willing to try giving myself a break
  • Even though being perfect means the world to me, I’m open to accepting myself even when everything isn’t perfect

You might want to look at where this need to be perfect comes from?  Is it from your parents? Were they perfectionists? Did you feel you had to do everything perfectly in order to gain their love, acceptance or approval? 

Was it a past partner, or your current partner even? 

Write down what comes up for you as you consider this and then use EFT to tap on any feelings and memories that you feel are an issue.

Here’s something else you can tap on to relieve the pressures of being a perfectionist:

  • Even though I’m a perfectionist and everything has to be just so, I accept myself just as I am
  • Even though everything has to be perfect, I accept myself and all my feelings anyway
  • Even though I have to be perfect, I’m perfect in my imperfection!

Keep on tapping on all the things that drive you crazy about being a perfectionist.  Try making a list of things that have to be perfect and then working on one thing at a time and see if you can give yourself a break.

If you would like some help with this issue, then I’d love to help you. Please call or email me to book your one to one session on the phone or via Skype. I also offer face to face sessions in Exeter, Tavistock and Okehampton in Devon and in Cardiff.