Anxiety / Mistakes / Perfectionism
I'm very, very tired. I made what I think is a relatively small mistake at work. I'm pretty sure it can be fixed, but I am tired of making mistakes... I know that humans make mistakes and I know that I have issues with perfectionism.
I'm sick of catastrophizing small mistakes.
Well, at least I have a topic to discuss at therapy next week. I'm tired of being terrified of mistakes and I'm tired of perfectionism and control freakery. Making mistakes prompts me to loathe myself even more and I hate that too.
@hematite43
valid to find it a struggle to accept mistakes and make peace with the fact that perfection doesn't exist
I hope you can talk through with your therapist and find some ways to cope with the current stressors for you <3
@Optimisticempath
Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate the validation.
I am feeling a bit better about things at the moment.
@hematite43 really glad to hear
@hematite43 Hi I'm Celine :) I'm so sorry you feel like this. I just want to reassure you that no matter what mistakes you make, as long as you try your best, the people in your life will be proud of you. For me, it's comforting to think about how even the most successful people made mistakes. Your therapist definitely knows better than me, so I hope you get to talk to her soon. Remember that you are your own worst critic; in the long run the minor mistakes you make won't impact your life that much. Honestly, no one knows what they're doing most of the time, and thinking about that always helps me. I hope you grow to be more comfortable with yourself, and good luck!
Oh I used to be like this all the time! The slightest mistake I’d make in anything would prompt me to think I was useless or incompetent, and I would only get frustrated with myself.
One day I decided that I had to overcome my perfectionism as it was unrealistic and unhealthy for my mental health. I would start by telling myself to do my best at small tasks and be happy no matter what happened. It was extremely difficult at first as I had a strong urge to correct every single little mistake I made, but little by little, I eventually began realizing that focusing on such trivial things weren’t worth my time and energy.
Being mindful of your emotions and talking yourself through certain things can be very helpful. Just be patient with yourself and step of your comfort zone at a pace you’re comfortable with. Remember that no one’s perfect and we all make mistakes. I hope this helps! 😇
@hematite43 sorry to her that. Don't worry too much. Just try your best, and it is ok. Take care.
Well, as an update, still feeling a lot of anxiety (sometimes) and intermittent catastrophization regarding various work and non-work topics.
I get wrapped up in anxiety spirals of "What if...?" "What if...?" "What if...?" and it's difficult to get of that.
Ugh.
@hematite43
Catastrophizing and following the "what if's" can be frustrating and tiring, definitely. It is nice to hear that you are able to identify that you are doing these things, and I think I would also have trouble trying to move away from what I am used to doing. I hope that you are able to find some ways to feel less stress about making mistakes.
