It took me a while to understand that perfectionism could exist in an
environment where things were very messy and chaotic. Let me explain, I always assumed a perfectionist would have a clean house, finances in order, clean desk or car etc. So when I started following a self help blogger known as the Flylady many years ago, and she mentioned not letting perfection get in the way I thought but this is for people who are struggling we aren’t even close to perfect! We’re a mess and we are looking for help! Then a reader gave an example one that resonated with me she had an antique piece of furniture in her home she had splashed, I believe it was gravy, down the front of it, knowing that it was an antique and an heirloom she wanted to clean it the perfect way and not damage the finish. So she decided she would research the best way to clean that wood. In time, her desire to clean it the perfect way left the stain on the furniture for quite some time until one day, she took a cloth with warm water and wipe the stain away.
Something about that simple antidote hit me so hard when I realized I’m waiting for the perfect way to do things and therefore I’m not doing them!
From that point on, I realized a lot of what was holding me back in life was the desire to find the perfect solution to the problems I faced whether big or small. I know I’ve heard the story before, but it really was one of the most pivotal moments in my life when I was going through my divorce and he was beginning to take legal action against me and I had not hired a lawyer yet I had no idea what I was going to do and I was listening to divorce podcasts and talking to everyone I knew and trying to figure out what my next step was going to be when my friend said just do something or you’re going to lose everything. You don’t have to know everything right now. Just do the next thing. She’ll never know what those words meant to me and how they have carried over into the rest of my life and in a way there’s somewhat responsible for where I am now and anywhere that I’ll be going forward. So applying for the full-time job, starting an only fans, hiring a lawyer, starting a GoFundMe for the down payment of the lawyer, getting a separate post office box, starting a bank account of my own and all those steps I took to get me where I am now or because of that one phrase.
I think about that a lot, am I waiting for the perfect way the perfect plan, the perfect situation before I can act? This past January I took action. I stepped out. I gave my notice at my job and I decided to work online from home full-time! I’ve learned so much in these past four months about myself and others but mostly about how I do things or don’t do things. I’ve developed a system for my business that has worked wonders for me. I’m finding a little life hacks to work around who I am and with my strengths and my weaknesses but I’m also learning to just do it, to just go for it and just do the next thing, because it’s progress not perfection that gets things done!
Thank you for listening,
Patsy 💋
Great thoughts hon, and one so many people could and should apply. especially me. I may be limited as far as grand plans I can start and ambitions, but it applies to smaller things to, like just wiping on old table with a wet cloth💖💖