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The 3 Sneaky Ways My Perfectionism Was Destroying My Life
The habits that hurt us (even when we think they’re helping)
I used to think my perfectionism was a blessing — a gift. It was a trait that I had, that few others did, that I could use to outshine those around me, make a meaningful change in the world, and convince myself I was worth something.
It did no such thing.
“Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.”
– Anne Wilson Schaef
Not only has it not helped me to conquer my goals and achieve my dreams, but I wasn’t the only one with it. People all around me had this trait of perfectionism, often showing up as anxiety, constant criticism, and otherwise perfection-driven people who could settle for nothing less than the best.
Over the past years, through a lot of self-reflection and therapy, I’ve learned a lot about how perfectionism manifests in me. It’s often sneaky, and the habits of this maladaptive thought process are hard to break.
It all starts with knowing what those habits are. Here are the few that I’ve found:
