When you see perfectionism in others and see the results of perfectionism, you would probably have a hard time believing that perfectionism could be holding so many people back. Truth is, perfectionism is holding many people back in a lot of ways. When you see a perfectly clean home, a perfect workplace report, and a perfect garden you can't help but envy the perfectionist, we often think we are somehow flawed when we look at the outcomes of the perfectionist vs our own. Perfectionism takes time; it takes a lot of time to make things perfect, and not only does it cost you a great deal of time, but it is also costing you mental well-being and happiness.

I used to be a chronic stress head. I have lived with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) my whole life and have always struggled with making things perfect. The problem with making things perfect all the time is that it is stressful and causes me major anxiety. I was a highly anxious worrier that would overthink everything so much I’d become easily overwhelmed and crippled with procrastination. And yet these days, most people around me can’t for the life of them understand why the things they get worked up about don’t bother me any more. So basically, I’ve learned to (for the most part) overcome stress. The good news is that in the process, I left a trail of mental breadcrumbs so I can tell you exactly how I did it.