I’ll be the first to admit I’m a complete perfectionist when it comes to certain things. Not only do I have a burning ambition to do it all, do it well and look my best in the process, but I feel the need to make it look simple and completely effortless.
Last week Becky from Olives n Wine wrote a beautiful post about being Wonder Woman that totally resonated with me, and inspired this Monday mantra. If you have time this morning, take a moment to read it. I particularly loved her list of imperfections. It was refreshing, and real, and allowed me to embrace some of my own in the process.
In the spirit of keeping things real this week, here are 8 not-so perfect things about me:
- I frequently try to do too many things at once.
- My 30-something skin is starting to show its age.
- I can be incredibly impatient–mostly with myself but occasionally with people close to me who don’t deserve it.
- I’m an on-and-off nail biter. I try to keep them well manicured but my pretty nails are the first thing to go in a stressful situation.
- I take myself way too seriously. Thank goodness for my lighthearted husband who can now make me laugh about it.
- Since getting married, I’ve struggled to find a balance between home life and blogging.
- Without my hairbrush, a cold compress and a mug of coffee, you probably wouldn’t recognize me in the morning.
- I need to be busy, and connected, every minute of the day.
There are certainly some things on this list I want to be better about–but others I just need to accept as me being perfectly imperfect.
Perfection: What do you obsess over? For me it’s wrinkles, blog posts and my work. What’s one not-so perfect thing about you?
Pretty much everything you listed is exactly the same for me…. literally, it’s kind of weird! haha (well, except for being married, but when I’ve dated, I’ve been accused of being “too connected” and caring about blogging more than him… that hurts). I’m my harshest critic!
AH! So relatable!! I also try to do too many things at once, and have a hard time balancing blogging and home….but I would NEVER have known you were 30!! :)
Now that I am 33, the wrinkles are starting to show too. I am finding ones above my lips and I am like, “how did those get there!?” I definitely obsess over how bloated my belly always is and work way too much.
Fabulous post. Our list is VERY similar–I’m an on and off nail biter as well! I, too, am a total perfectionist and I stress over the wrinkles around my eyes and blog posts. Sometimes it’s nice to just step back and think about specific things your excited about!
This was a great post, Elle. I particularly can relate to balancing life with blogging. I haven’t written a post in a few months because blogging just got too much with a husband, kids, full-time job and running/working out. I will definitely check out that article.
Thank you for the love <3 And I'm so happy to hear my post resonated with you. We all feel this unstated pressure to be perfect and while trying to portray this "perfectness," we make others feel like they need to be perfect as well. What a crazy, viscous cycle! I'm not quite 30 but can start to see some wrinkles and don't get ID'd as often as I did a year ago – sadness but wrinkles show character so I'm trying to be happy to show them off :)
Yes! I can definitely relate to this. I tend to feel I always need to busy and tend to take on too many things at once. I too, feel like I need to do it all. I struggle to find balance among everything I want to do. I once read to choose 3 or 4 major things in your life (family, work, hobby, school etc.) and really focus on those. I try to stick to that and remind myself that I don’t have to do it all, but rather do a few things I love/are most important to me really well.
I love that! I’m picking my three to focus on right now. :)
I always try to do too many things at once & my 30 something skin is definitely starting to give away my age. Especially since we now live in the permanent sunshine and I am terrible at putting on sunscreen! :)
Put your sunscreen on girly! Try keeping one in the car, or a small one in your purse – that way you always have some nearby!
Hehe! I know. Off out to buy some little bottles to carry with me so I have no excuse!! :)
Hi there! Long time reader, first time commenter. I love this post because so many of us can relate to the “I have to do everything and do it well” syndrome. Over the past few years, I’ve started to realize that I’m a work in progress like everyone else, and that’s ok!
And if I were to be honest, my less than perfect quality is definitely how I overlook details sometimes. For example, my husband and I almost missed a movie once because I thought it started at 2:50 pm when it really started at 12:50 pm. Good thing he checked in the morning!
Hi Parita, thanks for saying hello! I definitely overlook details too, especially when I’m doing too much at once! Thank goodness for our detail-oriented husbands. :)
My list would be very similar to yours, and I have to constantly remind myself that the goal isn’t perfection. Now that I’ve moved into my first house I feel like there is ALWAYS something to clean or a project to do, it’s like the work is never done. I’ve gotten a bit anxious a few times about how much there is to do and my fiance reminds me that if our house was sparkling clean 24/7 then we probably wouldn’t have very fun lives!
I totally know the feeling! I went through this when I bought my first apartment in North Carolina, and again when we moved to San Francisco! It’ll all get done – just try to enjoy the process and have fun, like your fiance said!