Not Everything Can Be 100% Perfect

Not Everything Can Be 100% Perfect

Ouch.

That stings a little, doesn’t it?

Recognize this?

✅ You’re healthy.

✅ You’re loved.

✅ You have great people around you.

✅ There’s a roof over your head.

✅ You’re not hungry or thirsty.

And yet…

😡💢 “WHY IS THIS IDIOT DRIVING SO CLOSE BEHIND ME?!” 💢😡

Or, why is this picture spelled wrong?!

Why is it so hard for us to focus on what’s going well?

This is exactly why exercises like these are so effective (and yet feel so unnatural):

📓 Writing down 5 things you’re grateful for.

🤙 Calling a loved one out of the blue to tell them you love them.

🙏 Expressing appreciation for someone who helped you.

😊 Smiling at a stranger.

Why do these simple acts take effort?

It all comes down to one fundamental need:

Feeling safe. 💜

What’s going well doesn’t feel threatening.

But the moment something doesn’t go as planned—or feels “off”—our brain zeroes in on it as a potential danger.

Think about the list above.

What if:

❌ You got sick?

❌ Your loved one left you?

❌ Your friends excluded you?

❌ You lost your home?

❌ You found yourself hiking without food or water?

Suddenly, that tailgater doesn’t seem so important anymore.

And that "misspelled" word?

Oh, it’s just German spelling.

It’s true: not everything can be perfect.

But let’s not let that stop us from appreciating the good things we do have.

Here’s my challenge to you:

Try one of those gratitude exercises today.

It’ll surprise you. 😉

Perfectionism, part 4: Join me this week as I cover perfectionism