Or Oops.
Yeah, I knew this would happen eventually. I knew that I would eventually forget to blog for a day. So this is my response. Sort of a make-up post.
The funny thing is that as I collapsed into bed last night, it occurred to me that I hadn't blogged. I made to drag myself back out of bed, then thought the better of it. You have to pick your battles. And for me, this just wasn't one of them.
I've discovered that in the last year. I'm a notorious perfectionist. When I do a job, I don't just do it well, I strive for perfection. Most people might say that's a good thing. And in small amounts, it is. But I get to the point where I can't give up on things. Not wanting to give up is one thing. Not being able to is completely different. And knowing that I will not give up on something once started, I had a tendency of not starting many things that I probably would have enjoyed, but probably would not be able to finish. This perfectionism paralysis held me in its grip for many years. In the last year or two, though, I've begun to label things as 'good enough.' This is a huge leap forward in coping with perfectionism, but it is hard to relinquish the goal of absolute perfection. I still work far harder on many things than is expected of me, but I know when I need to stop, and I can. And a little extra work is almost invariably appreciated, by me and by the people who assigned the work in the first place.
Getting a grip on my perfectionism has allowed me to branch out and try things I'd never before considered. I work hard on them, decide whether or not I like them, and, if I decide that I don't, know how to give up. This is what I call choosing my battles. I prioritize and do select things very well, knowing full well that this is at the expense of other tasks.
And last night, blogging just wasn't at the top of my list.
I'm glad for perfectionism, which pushes me to be my very best, but far more grateful for my growing ability to overcome it and choose my battles.
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