In my coaching practice, I run across a good number of people who suffer from perfectionism. 

It's a scourge of modern day society. It demands unrealistic expectations, deflates enthusiasm, and robs people of their happiness. It's one thing to have high standards. It's another thing when those standards take away the pleasure of performing a task. Perfectionism can lead to low self-esteem, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and workaholism.

"Not good enough" is the perfectionist's mantra. It torments those who are afflicted by it with demands no human can live up to.

Perfectionists see mistakes as failures. They imagine themselves to be a disappointment and beat themselves up. However, there is no learning without mistakes and failures. Sometimes these failures and mistakes lead to your biggest breakthroughs.

Like I say in my classes, it's a yoga PRATICE, not yoga PERFECT. Same with your life. What ideal are you trying to live up to, anyway? Was it something embedded in your subconscious from childhood where you felt you didn't measure up? Maybe you failed at something once and swore "never again."

To get to the root of this issue, you might try non-dominant hand writing. That's where you write out the question with your dominant hand, for instance, "What is my issue with perfectionism about?" Then answer the question with your non-dominant hand as a way to access your subconscious mind. The results can be insightful.

On the physical level, we will never be perfect. On the spiritual level, we already ARE perfect, faults and all. Learn to accept yourself as you are, with your limitations, and learn to set realistic goals. Replace "not good enough," with "I accept myself just as I am." Learn to find joy in the simplest things without reaching for perfection. Don't allow this scourge of society to take away life's pleasures.

Namaste,

Debbie