Be Inspired..!!

(Because “Nailed It” Never Feels Nailed Enough)

I really appreciate you checking out my blog! Just so you know, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you buy something through them, I might earn a little bit of money, at no extra cost to you. There’s absolutely no pressure to buy anything, but if you do, it genuinely helps support the time and love I put into writing these posts.

I used to think perfectionism was a good thing. You know, the secret ingredient behind every gold star, A-plus, and glowing performance review. If I got everything “just right,” I thought I’d finally feel calm. But instead of peace, I found myself with a constant pit in my stomach.

And that’s when I realized something most of us eventually bump into: perfectionism doesn’t calm anxiety—it fuels it.

Why Perfectionism Feeds Anxiety

Here’s the trap. Perfectionism whispers, “If you just work harder, if you just polish it more, then you’ll feel good.” And for a moment, it works. You turn in the flawless report, you host the spotless dinner party, you write the perfectly worded email. You breathe a sigh of relief.

But the relief is short-lived. Because perfectionism is like a treadmill—you have to keep running just to stay in the same place. The next task arrives, and the same anxiety creeps back. “Will I mess this one up? What if people notice the flaw?” Suddenly, you’re sprinting again.

I once stayed up past 2 a.m. re-editing something that was already done, only to wake up groggy, cranky, and more anxious than before. The irony? My brain was so fried that I missed the actual mistakes in the final draft. Perfectionism had worked against me.

The Cycle: How It Hooks You

Perfectionism and anxiety feed each other like best frenemies. Anxiety tells you something bad will happen if you’re not perfect. Perfectionism promises safety if you just try harder. But the harder you push, the more exhausted and anxious you feel.

It’s like putting out a fire with gasoline.

And if you’ve ever replayed a conversation in your head twenty times, rewritten an email five times before hitting send, or avoided starting something because you were afraid it wouldn’t be “good enough,” you’ve felt that cycle in action.

The Myth of Control

What perfectionism really sells is the illusion of control. If everything looks polished, maybe life won’t surprise us. But life always does.

I once hosted a dinner where I stressed for days about every detail—the tablecloth, the playlist, the timing of the roasted veggies. Halfway through, the power went out. Candlelight dinner it was. And you know what? Everyone laughed. It turned into the most relaxed, memorable night.

The perfection I planned wasn’t what people loved. They loved the messy, imperfect moment we stumbled into together.

Breaking the Cycle

So how do you step off the treadmill? Not by lowering your standards to zero—but by shifting the way you see mistakes, success, and “enough.”

Here are some things that help:

1. Practice the “Good Enough” Rule

Next time you’re stuck over-polishing, pause and ask, “Would this be good enough for a stranger? For a friend?” Chances are, it already is. What feels “unfinished” to you often looks just fine to everyone else.

When I started applying this, I realized I was spending 80% of my time fixing 5% of details no one noticed. Letting those go gave me back hours of sleep—and sanity.

2. Redefine Success

Instead of “perfect,” try “done.” Instead of “flawless,” try “honest.” Success doesn’t have to mean spotless—it can mean showing up, trying, learning.

I once shared a presentation where I tripped over my words. I felt mortified. But afterward, someone told me, “I loved how real you seemed.” What I saw as failure, they saw as connection.

3. Expose Yourself to Imperfection

This one sounds scary but works. Send an email with a typo. Post a photo without a filter. Show up late and let yourself say, “Sorry, traffic.”

The first time I did this, my anxiety screamed, “Everyone will judge you!” But no one cared. In fact, most people didn’t even notice. And slowly, my brain learned the truth: imperfection isn’t catastrophic.

4. Rest Without Earning It

Perfectionism tricks us into thinking rest has to be “earned.” But rest isn’t a prize—it’s fuel. Allowing yourself to nap, binge-watch a show, or sit on the porch doing nothing doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It means you’re human.

Funny enough, some of my best ideas show up when I’m not forcing myself to produce anything.

Why It Matters

Breaking perfectionism isn’t about being sloppy. It’s about reclaiming your mental space. Anxiety thrives on “what ifs.” But when you let yourself be human, you shrink those what-ifs down to size.

The truth is, people don’t connect with us because we’re perfect. They connect because we’re real. The stumbles, the laughter, the honesty—that’s what sticks.

The Newsletter Connection

If you’ve been nodding along, thinking, “Oh wow, that’s me,” then I’ve got more where this came from. I write a weekly newsletter where I share stories just like this—science-backed insights, everyday experiments, and practical ways to quiet the anxious perfectionist in your head.

It’s not a lecture—it’s a conversation. Imagine us sitting with coffee, trading stories, laughing at the mess, and figuring out how to breathe easier together.

👉 Sign up here if you’d like to join in. I promise it won’t be perfect. But it will be real.

Your Turn

Perfectionism loves to convince us we’re the only ones struggling. But we’re not. We’re all figuring out how to send the imperfect email, cook the slightly-burnt dinner, or let the dog bark during the Zoom call.

So tell me: what’s one small “imperfection” you’ve let slide recently—and how did it actually make life better?

Drop it in the comments, reply, or share it with a friend who needs this reminder. Because the best way to break the cycle isn’t alone—it’s together.

Final Thought

Perfectionism says, “Be flawless, then you’ll relax.” Reality says, “Relax, then you’ll be fine—even if you’re not flawless.”

And between the two, I’ll take reality every time.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases, but this does not affect my recommendations.I only suggest products I’ve personally vetted.