Counseling in Katy, TX: Perfectionism Affects Mental Health
Practice makes perfect! Have you ever heard that before? I’m pretty sure that I’ve been hearing that mantra my entire life, but, in truth, perfection isn’t real. It doesn’t exist. That being said, it doesn’t mean that people will not attempt that unattainable goal. A gymnast is always going to aim for that perfect ten routine. An artist tries to paint a perfect masterpiece that showcases the feeling they want to be conveyed. Models work for the perfect body to stomp down the catwalk runway. It seems as if everyone is always churning and burning their energies toward perfection.This constant need to reach perfection is negatively affecting mental health, let counseling in Katy, TX can help you overcome the weight of perfectionism.
Having a simple, ordinary life almost seems to be unacceptable these days, doesn’t it? Everything about our lives must be interesting and extraordinary. When did being “normal” become unideal, and why can’t we be happy with what we are working with? Why do people always have to be working toward a promotion at work? If you are happy and comfortable where you are at professionally, it’s absolutely acceptable to remain at that level, and be content, even while your neighbor is gunning for the next promotion. Your life goals don’t have to match up with the person you are standing next to. They are your goals.
Every single day we are bombarded with the world’s standards for perfection. Turn on the tv; I bet there’s at least one beautiful person staring back at you on every channel. These people are made extra beautiful for television and movies, they don’t look like that in real life, but you don’t see the part where they look like an average human, all you see is them perfectly made up. Social media is everywhere, filled with filters and models. The constant barrage of perfection that is forced from social media alone is enough to make anyone on this planet feel inferior to others. This level of perfection is presented as being not only attainable, but expected. Comparing yourself to the people you see in movies and on the internet is the equivalent of comparing cookies to green beans. They’re not the same; it’s a faulty comparison. These standards are inserted into our frames of thought several times a day, if not several times an hour. We are forced to compare ourselves to perfection, which in fact, isn’t even real. Being unable to live up to these standards causes internal friction and frustration. Not only are we setting unhealthy goals for ourselves, we are setting ourselves up for failure by comparing ourselves to perfection.
The perfect people that you are comparing yourself to probably have access to many more resources than the average human. If you could see their contact list on their phone, I’m sure you would find numbers for a personal chef, nutritionist, personal trainer, life coaches, etc. to help them attain the physical and lifestyle perfection that is served to you on your screen. Most of us, on the other hand, do not have a phone full of resources to help us obtain the results that we feel are expected of us. I, personally, have a hard enough time juggling work, grocery shopping, showering, and keeping the pets alive, let alone throw in a meeting with a financial advisor. Without having the resources and the time to dedicate to all levels of perfection, we will never measure up to the perfection that we compare ourselves to.
The pressure to hold ourselves to those standards can become overwhelming very quickly. Perfectionism and anxiety go hand in hand, and the inability to meet these expectations of perfection can greatly affect mental health because we are seeing ourselves “fail” every day when we cannot reach those unhealthy, and unrealistic goals. Even though those feelings of inadequacy may not always be in the forefront of your mind, they are still there, waiting in the background to pop up at the most inopportune times.
The continual reach for the unattainable is the perfect set up for failure; perfection is the enemy of progress. When a goal remains unreached, anxiety can increase along with depression. Negative self-talk when a goal is not met can lead to a decrease in overall self-esteem. The unfair pressures we put on ourselves put limits on our happiness. By easing up on our expectations of perfection, we can increase our overall mental health and well-being.
People are not perfect. They do not come from molds or cookie cutters. We are all our own misshapen ball of dough, sometimes falling apart, sometimes entirely too sticky, but still rising as we bake. Your loaf of life doesn’t have to look like the person’s next to you. Counseling in Katy, TX can teach you how to stop focusing on perfection, and start focusing on being the best version of yourself. Let’s work together, today!
