Perfectionism is something I know all too well.  I am a recovering perfectionist.  I like things a certain way.  I have also experienced anxiety, depression and digestive issues in my life.  I am now a doctor who works with my clients to provide them natural solutions in the areas of Prevention, Digestive health, and Kidney function.

Most of the individuals who come to me with digestive issues tend to have several of the following characteristics:

  • Perfectionism
  • Ruminating thoughts (thinking about the same things over and over again)
  • Overthinking
  • Rigid or inflexible
  • Very critical of themselves and others
  • Black and white thinking
  • Find it hard to let go of things
  • Sensitive
  • Raised by a parent that was too harsh, given their sensitive nature, and now they battle with being themselves and the mental script their parent ingrained in them
  • Significant inner tension
  • Mood swings or chronic states of anxiety, depression or irritability
  • Chronic worrier

Perfectionism can be a great desire to do things a certain way that you personally find ‘perfect,’ and it tends to accompany a greater struggle to accept and move on from an imperfectly completed action.  This desire may stem from not feeling good enough in some way.  When you do not achieve perfectionism, you may get down on yourself more than a person who does not struggle with perfectionism, and resort to compensatory destructive behaviors such as overeating, drinking, smoking, etc.

These intense and usually longer lasting self-critical thoughts and compensatory behaviors take up time and take up space in your mind.  If you are able to avoid these or get past them more quickly, you leave more room for yourself to be creative in other areas of your life.

But here’s the catch on that: for some people, especially if they have addictive behaviors, when they let go of their vice, it also means they have to deal with their feelings, one of which can be a sense of nothingness or emptiness.  This can be a very uncomfortable feeling.  Their vice is tangible to them; it gives them something to hold onto.  But I encourage you to research ‘spirituality of nothingness,’ because then you will see that this feeling is common and there are ways to embrace it.

Apart from spirituality, embracing other actions like making more friends, making the consistent efforts to keep in contact with those friends, counseling, and playing upbeat, calming or focus music can all help you to rebuild your life as you continue to transition away from your vice.

In addition to addiction, wanting everything to be perfect can slow your progress on various projects you are working on.  Progress will be made even if you do something imperfectly.  During imperfection, you will learn important lessons, you will develop, and you will hone your craft.  You will become more and more creative with the knowledge that you accumulate on the way.  You see, if you rely on what you think is perfect right now, you are relying on an idea that is only based on the knowledge you have at this time.  As you learn more, your idea of what you want to create may change, and that is a good thing.  If you have a mind like mine that is very active and gets bored easily, you are probably better off in an environment that gets you to think.  Thus, growing through imperfection can actually be a good environment for your mind.

I started to let go of perfectionism the most a few years after I started my business, because I was moving too slow.  I had also gone through a lot of counseling and life events that challenged my perfectionism in such a way that I knew I needed to change.  Additionally, I had read several quotes that spoke to the idea that people were becoming successful in business faster than others because they cared less about being perfect and more about executing.  That spoke to me.  It does not mean that I stopped doing great work, but I now spark myself to begin and complete a project more quickly, versus being too long in my mind about it.  And once I start, the creativity flows.

I help my clients through nutrition, herbs and flower essences to calm their mind, and this is part of how I help them with digestive issues.  When your health is in a better place, your mind is less occupied on this and you have a better capacity to create.

If you are seeking help with gas, bloating, constipation or other digestive issues, schedule an online consultation by:

  • Clicking HERE
  • Calling 281-231-2811

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