Being A Perfectionist | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

If You're A Perfectionist, There's Something You Need To Know

It's okay to not be perfect — that's not the point of life.

209
www.pexels.com
NBC

If you're anything like me, you are constantly battling anxiety, depression, and that little voice inside your head that says "You're not good enough."

The voice is so loud that you can't help but listen and believe what it's telling you. You have trouble falling asleep at night because your mind replays all of the mistakes that you've made.

Sometimes you don't want to get out of bed the next day. Making mistakes is inevitable, but do you really want to deal with the disappointment all over again?

Just a few examples of common struggles that can feel like an earth-shattering nightmare to someone with anxiety:

My crush rejected me and is dating someone else.

Every month, it's harder to scrape by and pay rent.

This whole adult thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Life can be rough, and a lot of things happen that you will never be able to control.

But you can control how you react.

This summer has been up and down for me. I've been dealing with grief from losing my dad, trying to process that I'm five years away from 30, and mentally preparing myself for my final year of college.

The past few months have been a whirlwind of emotion and (in)action; I've gone from writing and watching my life fall apart in a matter of weeks, to crying and staying in bed and not writing, not moving, to finally trying and put myself back together.

I'm super critical of myself, whether it be my body, the art I create, my accomplishments, or anything else. Chances are that if you're reading this, you are overly critical of yourself, too.

Here's a word of advice.

Chill out.

Seriously, I have to tell myself to chill multiple times a day. Next time you're getting carried away obsessing over the *perfect* headline for your next article, picking the best Night Out Outfit, or having an existential crisis because you're comparing yourself to all of your peers, do this. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and tell yourself that you are enough.

There are a lot of ways to waste time and energy: binge "KUWTK" for six hours straight, drive to Target just to find out that they're out of stock of your favorite Greek yogurt or put pineapple on your pizza. Some of these things are good, some are bad, but the worst waste of your time is worrying.

Life is for the living. So, get out there and live! Don't worry about not being good enough. As long as you wake up every day and try, you're being brave, and that's beautiful.

I'm thankful for my health and grateful to be here on this Earth with people I love and adore. Think about everything that you're grateful for and let that ground you in your moments of panic or indecision.

Sit back, relax, and let go.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

996
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

15943
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3308
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments