enough (soLs)

19 Comments

I’m a recovering perfectionist.

Lately I’ve been feeling vulnerable. I drop the ball, the unexpected happens, I’m too tired to do one more thing, and life just keeps going as is. The old habits begin to creep up. I feel like I can’t do anything well. I feel like I’ll never get things right. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I’m not good enough. It’s a lie that I can believe or ignore.

And then I remind myself that I am a recovering perfectionist.

That means I’ve accepted I don’t have to be perfect.
There can be a stack of important school papers on the counter and it’s okay.
The laundry can be stacked outside of bedroom doors for one night and the world will still spin.
The blanket pile of legoes can stay on the dining room floor and life will still go on.

It means I  believe that life is too short to worry about not being good enough.

I’ve wasted enough energy on worrying about this. I’m not going to waste more. It stops now.

I am enough. Just the way I am.

I hope you believe it for yourself too.

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via Two Writing Teachers.

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sols

19 Comments »

  1. Still working on it! But it seems to be easier as I get older (maybe I'm just too tired to be such a perfectionist?). 🙂

  3. I was a recovering perfectionist too but after having my girls, priorities in life drastically changed. And I'm okay with it. Thank you for capturing this personal fight.

  4. You are more than enough. It is more than ok to have laundry outside the door, legos on the floor… it is expected. It is good. It is perfect.

  5. Love the lines “I am enough. Just the way I am.” I think most of us need that sign to sit on our desk, stick to our refrigerator and tape to the mirror!

  7. You are definitely enough! I am constantly amazed at all you accomplish in a given day. You are perfectly allowed to not have everything perfect.

  8. “I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm not good enough. It's a lie that I can believe or ignore.”

    Powerful words. I love your term “recovering perfectionist.” It is the perfect descriptor.

    In case the voice in your head is not quite loud enough yet, in case your heart of hearts can't be heard through all that life going on around you at the moment: even in your worst moment of your worst day you are MORE than enough.

  10. “And then I remind myself that I am a recovering perfectionist.” Love that.

    “I am enough. Just the way I am.” High five. You go girl.

    “I hope you believe it for yourself too” Thank you. Need that little kick in the butt reminder tonight.

  11. So right there with you! I was thinking today about the ginormous job you and Stacey have taken on in organizing Slice of Life. Maybe next year some of us need to figure out how we can help a little!

  12. Juliann is so right-Amelia's math gave me new ways to look at it all, and now yours Ruth. I too like that 'recovering perfectionist'. Sounds like a good book title to me. You are always inspiring, Ruth.

  15. Ruth how is it we were on the same path today? And “luckygirl” at Writing Me Home wrote about perfection too. I don't struggle with being perfect but I certainly struggle with being “more than enough.”

  17. It's all about perspective. When we put all those little things into perspective, we realize they are not that important and we are enough. Thanks for reminding us.

  19. Great post! And if that laundry pile ever gets you down, call me. I can relate!
    Glad you remember that no one else is expecting you to be all and do all for all. You are more than enough, just as you are.