Progress NOT Perfection

by | May 1, 2020

This is a very unique and challenging time for many of us. We do not interact with others or the world as a whole in the same ways we used to. Sporting events are canceled (this is by far my greatest disappointment right now), festivals are put on hold, birthday parties and weddings occur virtually. Many of us who have never worked from home before are now doing so. Working from home can have its own challenges, including how to “disconnect” when the “workday” is done and not get burned out from too much screen time. In addition, parents of school-age children are being asked to become their teachers in ways they never thought they would. As an educator, I know that my families are doing their very best to complete schoolwork after working all day.

But the school work doesn’t always get done, does it? Neither do all the tasks you need to complete for work or chores to do around the house. Being home all the time often makes me feel like I’m not doing ENOUGH. I’m home all day! Why can’t the dishes get done, the laundry get folded, the trash go out? I am struggling to find a routine, to find purpose in the work that I am doing right now. I often feel anxious and unfulfilled–like there is so much more I SHOULD be doing but I’m not. My “I shoulds” lead to guilt, frustration, and MORE anxiety. This brings us to our topic this month: how do we, as human beings, move from a mentality of perfection to one of progress?

“Perfection” is all around us; we see it in movies, read about it in books, and gaze at it in magazines. Ads inundate us with new products/gadgets/clothes to buy to be “better” in some way. We see the job, career, home, or lifestyle others have and tell ourselves that if only we had that perfect life, we too would be happy.

This month, we are going to focus on moving from a mindset of perfection to a mindset of progress. We can get caught up in work/home life/projects not being perfect, which leads to frustration and a feeling of helplessness. Instead of setting our sights on an ideal that may be unattainable, we’ll focus on making progress towards goals for work, home, and life.

Our first Facebook live will introduce this topic and ask for your feedback: what do you want to discuss that will help you let go of the idea of perfection and focus on progress? We’ll cover as many topics as we can in our time together.

As always, I am forever grateful that you have chosen to join me on this journey!

Namaste,

Michelle Boening

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