Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Not perfect, just excellent




todAAy i AAM grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I got to hear a good discussion about one of my plethora of defects -- Perfectionism.
I have learned that it's one of most selfish and self-centered defects I can have because it sets me apart from others as I try to be special. It can be my attempt to be superior to you.
Today, I don't have to be perfect. But I can be excellent.

that I occasionally get to experience sanity.

that yesterday our high temperature (in Houston) was only 92. It was the first day this August that the high temp was under 95. Wheeeeeeeee!!


It is always a good day to be grateful for all of life - grateful for large blessings and small. Especially to be grateful for the symbolic blessings - the rainbows and butterflies that come into our lives what we least expect and most need them.


6 comments:

Syd said...

I have softened my perfectionism a lot. It was a control issue with me because all around seemed so uncontrollable (it was) that I wanted those few things that I could control to be perfect. Glad to have moved on from that.

Mary Christine said...

Glad the weather is cooling off.

steveroni said...

Lots of R'bows and B'flies been appearing last couple weeks. Grateful

Scott M. Frey said...

I recall how lovely Houston feels when it gets that hot, ugh!

I love that I can accept my own imperfections. Now if only I could accept them in others :-)

Thanks dAAve!

marie said...

perfectionism for me was tied to my fear of what others thought of me which is what I thought of myself. Now I don't mind so much what others think of me. It has greatly decreased perfectionistic attitudes in me. And I agree, you can be excellent, dave

Donna M Torbico said...

Right on! When I started Al-anon 32 yrs ago, people kept telling me I was sooo hard on myself. My mom, the preacher's wife - often blatantly said "I'm perfect" meaning that everyone else was not! So I tried & failed miserably to be like her & be liked by her.

In Program I learned that Perfectionism was a symptom of self-hate, which in turn was a cover-up for all the abandonment we experienced growing up (on all 4 levels - mental, physical, emotional & spiritual).

I thought if only I could be perfect, they'd love me & never leave me.
Since then I've 'grown' a GOOD inner parent who accepts my inner child unconditionally, even when I still feel the old abandonment terror.

I can now say with complete confidence - My parents (both gone) missed out on knowing a wonderful person - ME! :)