~ PERFECTION ~
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"My imperfections and failures are as
much a blessing from God as my successes
and my talents, and I lay them both at
His feet."
Mahatma Gandhi
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I don't know why I used to think that if
something wasn't done perfectly, it
wasn't worth doing. I was an all-time
overachiever and to fail at anything was
totally unacceptable. Since I set such
impossibly high standards, it was hardly
surprising that I couldn't love -- or
even like -- myself. I was constantly
pushing to excel at those things I was
good at, and I would beat myself up if I
failed to meet my high expectations. I
was especially critical of my body. I
thought that if I had the perfect body,
my life would be perfect.
When I came into the program I had to
learn to not be so hard on myself. For
the first time I began to realize that I
was human and could still be loveable
and worthy ~ even with all my
imperfections and character defects. I
am lovingly reminded by my sponsor and
my friends in the fellowship to be
gentler with myself. They remind me that
I don't even have to do the program
perfectly. I just need to do the best I
know how for that day; then I can see
progress one day at a time. I don't have
to push myself to be perfect all the
time in order to win approval or gain
love. What a relief that is!
ONE DAY AT A TIME . . .
I don't have to be perfect all the
time. I just need to be the best me that
I can be for todayand that's the way God
intended me to be.