Exploring Perfectionism Through the Lens of Mindful Awareness

Narrative on perfectionism, ways of working with it, and this generated via dialectic with Chat LLM, Chat GPT

https://shorturl.at/s2sjF

on patience and the imperfect

"Patience is about setting realistic standards for yourself and your goals. And not drowning in the hopes of achieving the impossible goal of perfectionism." ~ @StevenHandel

 
#mindfulness
(https://twitter.com/MindfulEveryday/status/1413578460719718402?s=03) 

Self-love, kintsugi - More beautiful for having been broken

 A zen master's life is one continuous mistake. ~ Dogen

On forgiveness: The Sun never says to the earth you owe me. Look what happens to a love like this, It lights up the whole world. Poem by Hafiz. ~ Andrea

The Sun never says to the earth you owe me .look what happens to a love like this ,It lights up the whole world ,Poem by Hafiz ,

Gleanings from Carrie Grossman's Insight Talk on Feb 28, 2021: on patterns of self-image

Beauty in the broken parts...a Japanese art form of putting broken pottery back together. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-japanese-art-technique-kintsugi-can-help-you-be-more-ncna866471

• There’s no such thing as perfection. It’s not our strengths that connect us, it’s our vulnerabilities. ~ Angela
• Yes perfectionism is BORING and disconnecting, maybe because it is hiding the imperfection that is real. The Velveteen Rabbit, lived, shabby and therefore real. ~Wen
• A failure is a stepping stone on the way to somewhere else. ~ Carrie Grossman...
• Sign seen in temple in Thailand --- "in a hundred years, all new people!" ~ implication is to let go of shame or whatever is the breeding ground of 'perfectionism'....no need to prove who we are. 
• Working hard to give myself the same compassion and acceptance I give to others. Not easy but baby steps... ~ Maggie
• First steps to changing the channel is to acknowledge our suffering (eg. how hard we are on ourselves), then we can find the antidote to this. Our own awareness can be so healing, our own presence to ourselves...shine a light on that. ~ Carrie
• "Forget your perfect offering!" ~ a koan?  'It is what it is...it's not about perfection'.. maybe the perfection is in the messiness itself. 'The mirage of perfection.'
• We cannot connect with each other if we are expecting perfection. ~ Carrie
• A forgiveness practice: a song called '
• Davidji Heart Salutations
• "THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION", Brene Brown
• ~~' Remembrance of what we already are.'
• Pema Chodron ---'there is no need for self-improvement...identities we so desperately cling to. ...only clouds that block the sun.' ..
• deep quiet place within us, the light within...is untouched by these identities, these judgments.
• Upanishads: nothing we do can take away our innate wholeness. 'God don't make no junk'. 

Walk Slowly by Danna Faulds

 WALK SLOWLY by Danna Faulds 

WALK SLOWING

It only takes a reminder to breathe, 
a moment to be still, and just like that, 

something in me settles, softens, 

makes space for imperfection. The harsh voice 

of judgment drops to a whisper and I 

remember again that life isn’t a relay 

race; that we will all cross the finish 

line; that waking up to life is what we 

were born for. As many times as I 

forget, catch myself charging forward 

without even knowing where I’m going, 

that many times I can make the choice 

to stop, to breathe, and be, and walk 

slowly into the mystery.

Accepting Imperfection

Accepting Imperfection

Any time we want life to be different than it is, we are caught in impatience. We lose our sense of humor; and self-pity, despair, and blame seep into the heart. Gentle forbearance includes the spirit of forgiveness. When we feel conflict with others, understanding their suffering is the first step in being able to communicate, forgive, and begin again. The practice of forgiveness happens when we are able to realize the underlying cause of our anger and impatience, and this allows us to distinguish between someone’s unskillful behavior and essential goodness. Serenity and calm develop as we learn to accept imperfection in others and ourselves.

-Michele McDonald, "Finding Patience," Tricycle, Summer 2004
Read the complete article on tricycle.com.