"The thought of making a mistake makes me itch. As human beings we tend to feel itchy and uncomfortable when our mask of perfection that we present to the world slips a bit."

                   ~ Diane Bishop

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a recovering perfectionist. 

I'm grateful to notice that I've become a bit more comfortable letting others see me when I'm sloppy, goofy, tired, tongue-tied, grumpy, bewildered - not at all perfect just real  - as I strive to become more and more authentic. 

But making mistakes? For so many years, even if others didn't see, I wanted to avoid making any. Of course, I've made lots of them, but I wanted to be perfect for me. Well, for my parents, teachers, and God too. What a heavy and impossible burden. 

Thank goodness, I've let this go a bit too. Not completely. I still sometimes feel not itchy but tightened inside and yucky about making mistakes, even little ones. In fact, just yesterday I felt yucky when I thought I may have picked the "wrong" paint colors for our new house.

So, I'm still working on this in several ways. Among them, with love and compassion, I'm forgiving myself for buying into the erroneous belief that I can be perfect and the limiting belief that there are "right" and "wrong" paint colors.

Today, may we each aim to be real and kind and accepting of our beautiful humanness. 

With love,
Charlene

PS - Thanks to Wes Hopper for this Diane Bishop quote.
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COMPASSION: May you be gentle with yourself and others. May you forgive those who hurt you and yourself when you make mistakes. (from The Twelve Gifts of Birth)

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(c) 2012 Charlene Costanzo 

Charlene Costanzo is the author of  The Twelve Gifts series of books:
The Twelve Gifts of Birth
The Twelve Gifts for Healing
The Twelve Gifts in Marriage
The Thirteenth Gift 
Touchstones: Stories for Living The Twelve Gifts 

December 13, 2014

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