Monday, January 16, 2012

Perfectionism


In what seems to be crazy times, so many of us are seeing our world as less than perfect. We see all the tragedies, unfairness's, the poverty, the abuse....we see the lack of something at every turn. We lack the lack of money, peace, health and safety. We then desire things to be more perfect, where no one is hurt, abused, go hungry etc... we form groups and movements to erase these things from our world. Yet they persist. The "problems" seem to always be there, our solutions fall short. Our world is less than perfect like we desire it to be. 

In our own lives, we see the same thing. We seem to always be lacking something. There is something that there is not enough of. So we try to make our lives perfect. We try to control every aspect so that everything is just as we think it should be. As Dr. Phil would say "How is that working for you?" I suspect not very well. 

It seems the more we try to make everything perfect, the less perfect things become. There are those of us who take this to such an extreme that we call them perfectionists. Some even have identified themselves to be that way. What they are actually doing is seeing the imperfection in something or somebody and trying to make it perfect. I call them imperfectionists. For all they are seeing is the lack, the less than perfect based on their ideals, thoughts and beliefs.Their perspective is based in this lack that they are seeing. They always see what is not there.... but are they seeing what is there?

The reason for this is because somewhere inside of them they think, feel, believe that they are less than perfect. That they are lacking something within themselves. Due to this they have a perspective that not only them but everybody else and the entire world also is lacking in something for that is what they are seeing. They are projecting so to speak their own feeling and belief about themselves into their life, world and onto everybody else.  

When you look into a mirror what do you see??? Do you see all your "flaws" or do you see your own beauty? If all you see are your "flaws" then chances are you are seeing things through the eyes of imperfection. If you see your beauty, then you are seeing things through the eyes of perfection.  

A perfectionist is actually someone who sees the perfection in everything. They do not see what is not there but see what is there. A perfectionist sees a glass of water filled half way not as half empty or half full but sees the perfection in it just as it is. They see it as perfect whether the glass is half empty or half full. They see a perfectly filled glass of water. 

To begin your shift, start seeing yourself, others, your life, your world through the eyes of perfection. See what is there, not what is not there. Start focusing on what is there, not on what is not there. Start celebrating what is there and do not bemoan what is not there. See yourself as perfect just as you are. See what you are achieving and not what you have achieved yet. You will be surprised when you start doing this how all those things you once saw as imperfect are no longer there.

Remember this: You have no flaws, no strengths or weaknesses. You are neither good or bad. You are perfect just as you are!