I Am A Recovering Perfectionist ‪#‎NakedMoms‬

I am a recovering perfectionist.

Before I became a mother, I had more time for perfection. Or rather, more time to attempt it. My striving-for-perfection self from eight years ago has changed into a woman who strives for excellence instead. Even still, I struggle constantly to ignore that perfectionist voice inside my head.

Perfectionism almost ruined my marriage. I constantly corrected my husband because he didn’t fold the towels the right way (which really meant my way). We fought over housework or how he never argued with me (what kind of logic was that?). I’d tell him how to hold the baby or told him he wasn’t bouncing her correctly. I made him feel like he wasn’t good enough husband or father.

Perfectionism sabotaged my success. I worked a direct sales business for 12 years. While I was very successful at selling the products, I dreaded everything else. Especially the phone calls. I never knew the right thing to say so why bother calling if I would just get rejected anyway? Or I’d spend hours creating the perfect spreadsheet to track the sales from my parties instead of using that time to do things that actually brought me money.

Perfectionism showed up everywhere. Recipes I created were never good enough. Even as my husband and our dinner guests oooh’d and aaah’d over my dishes, I mentally dissected it. It needed more salt or next time I’ll add less garlic and more chiles. There was always something that could have been better. I couldn’t enjoy my own cooking.

Perfectionism held me back.

Looking back through the lens of a much older, wiser me, I realized that I was not a very happy person during that part of my life. I was unhappy with myself because I set unattainable standards. Not just for me. But for everyone around me. No one, not even I, could live up to my standards.

When I became a new mother, I didn’t have time for perfect. I just had time to get it done or I would never get more sleep that the catnaps I took throughout the day.I thought I had a handle on perfect. Better done than perfect, I told myself.

As my daughter grew older, I started to see myself in her. She’s inquisitive, imaginative and creative. We often made art together. When she was three years old, as we were drawing together, she threw down her crayon in frustration. She wanted to draw a cat or something but she was paralyzed with fear. I encouraged her to just try. Her response? “It won’t be perfect. You do it.”

I froze.

What had I done? Had I unconsciously passed my need for perfectionism to my 3-year-old? She was so worried that her cat wouldn’t look perfect she refused to draw at all. Once she started crying because she didn’t know how to read or write. She was only three!

How many times had I refused to do something because I knew it would never come out perfect? Too many times. She must have seen me act this way more often than I realized. What I thought was my internal battle was manifesting itself outwardly. It was affecting my little girl.

3-year-old Sophia showing off a dress I made for her

I will never forget that afternoon. I don’t want my children to carry the burden of perfectionism like I did. I knew I had to change something. But before I could help my children, I had to change my attitude. I used to have a postcard taped to my computer. It read:

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business. –Michael J. Fox

I have learned to recognize when I start to become obsessed with making something perfect. I tell my children when I make a mistake so that they can see it’s ok to admit our failures. Even better, I make mistakes in front of them (and admit to it). I have to model excellence, not perfection.

I’ll proudly wear my “recovering perfectionist” badge. If I give up before I’ve started because of my need to be perfect, then I have failed for not trying at all.

I’m giving up on perfect. I’ll strive for excellence instead.

On the 14th of every month, I’ll be revealing the truth about motherhood with 12 other writers. Follow the hashtag #NakedMoms, and check out the links from the other moms and find out which stories resonate with you the most:

To Be a Better Mom You Have to Give Up by Steph at Confessions of A Stay-At-Home Mom

Giving Up On Perfect Single Motherhood by Laila at Only Laila

The Time I Almost Gave Up on Motherhood by Vaneese at Mommy Works A Lot

Motherhood: The Sacrifices No One Tells You About, But You Need to Know  by Joyce at Mommy Talk Show

To Let Go and Let God by Jacquie at The Sweeter Side of Mommyhood

I Didn’t Want to be a Mom by Summer at The Dirty Floor Diaries

Mothering While Introverted by Diamonte at Liberated Mommy

Motherhood is About Giving Up by Jessica at A Parent In Silver Spring

Motherhood: I Give Up by Stephanie at When Crazy Meets Exhaustion

Giving Up Supposed To Be by Brandi at Mama Knows It All

Giving Up And Getting Down by Heather at Diary of A First Time Mom