Perfectionism is not a quest to be the best, it is a pursuit of the worst in yourself.
Welcome!
Thank you for joining me on this 12-step journey towards increasing your Creative flow and reducing stress.
I’m Rita, and I am a Healer and a teacher. It’s my calling to help people evolve, elevate and expand their thinking. I help people to heal through natural modalities that fall outside of traditional medicine. That’s exactly what you will find here, so I hope you’ll stay!
As you cross the half-way mark in these 12-steps, it’s important to take a deep dive within and really see what is and isn’t working for you. Step 7 will do just that.
If it does not serve a purpose in your Life, let it go
Creativity flows just under the surface, like a river, and if you are open minded and willing, that river of inspiration can be tapped into at any time.
The beauty in Creativity is just that – it is intrinsically linked to inspiration. Everybody wants and needs to feel inspired for any number of reasons. The key to finding what inspires you is to engage yourself Creatively.
Creativity as referred to here includes any form of creative engagement. Everything from everyday problem solving to creative parenting solutions to meal planning. Creativity can even be applied to budgeting, getting dressed for an occasion, and determining how to use your available time.
Creativity can be found in everything you say and do, and it is essential for the flow of Light Energy through you.
People who go looking for inspiration will often return empty and disappointed. For many, this experience is often followed with thoughts or statements like the following: What was I thinking? Who am I kidding anyway? I can’t (fill in the blank: cook, paint, dance, sing, write)! It’s silly; I need to prioritize, take care of myself (my family, my partner, my pet, my parent(s)), not fill my precious time with stupid things like (playing tennis, reading a book, learning a new language!
Sound familiar? That is your inner critic (see Step 1), otherwise known as Ego. Psychologically speaking, Ego’s primary function is to protect you. It is the parental figure in your thought process that prevents you from taking action on all of your curiosities, especially the absurd ones.
Although Ego has good intentions, it is the dominating force behind Self-sabotage. While it believes it is protecting you from harm or danger – all in the name of Self-preservation – it hasn’t gotten the memo that you no longer need certain protections.
The quality of one’s Life is always in proportion to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.
As you grow and evolve, elevate your vibration and expand your thinking, your interaction with Ego must also change. It becomes your duty to cultivate Self-awareness. By paying close attention to Ego and his/her chattering, you will regain a sense of control and free will.
First you must acknowledge the rote behaviors that are triggered by Ego to protect you. Next you must ask yourself, What is this really about? What is this triggering for me, and why? When have I felt these feelings before? Last, it is your duty to choose to respond differently; to put Ego, and yourself, in check, so to speak.
How does perfectionism serve you?
It is perfectly acceptable to have bouts of perfectionism from time to time. There are Life situations that require the absolute best from you, and in those situations having an attitude of perfectionism can be a benefit.
However, if you are roomies with perfectionism, it is important to ask yourself what purpose it serves for you. How does it help you to live a happier, more fulfilling Life? How does perfectionism help you attain good overall health? If you can answer these questions honestly, that is a good indication where Ego change needs to happen.
Perfectionism, that cynical inner critic who judges every thought, every interaction, every production, is your own refusal to let yourself move ahead.
This is based in FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real).
It is not a quest to be the best; in fact, it is a pursuit of the worst in yourself. The part that tells you that nothing you do will ever be good enough; that you should try again.
But let’s be real here, you know you won’t try again. Why set yourself up for another disappointment? Usually, when you say you can’t do something, what you mean is that you won’t do something unless you can guarantee that you will do it perfectly. Your Ego has succeeded once again!
If you can listen closely, you can hear your Ego nudging you towards Self-sabotage. If you can learn to recognize those negative patterns, you can stop them in their path to Self destruction. It is only then that you can begin tapping into the flowing river of Creativity, and inspiration will find you.
Until next time,
Interested in starting from the beginning of this 12-step journey? Catch up here:
12 steps to a more creative and stress-free Life
Step 1: Reframe negative beliefs
