An extremely common characteristic among anxiety sufferers is perfectionism. Expecting perfection from or for yourself can amplify fear of failure, limit learning experiences, and increase anxiety as you reach for and worry about attaining impossible expectations. Perfectionism, while sometimes positively reinforced by teachers, parents, or employers, can quickly result in feelings of low achievement and inferiority when expectations are not met. Perfectionism is usually driven by a fear of negative possibilities, which directly feeds anxiety and often leads to depression. Speak the following thoughts out loud, as if you've already adopted the new attitudes.
• It is OK to make mistakes. I
am now a non-perfectionist.
• Being a non-perfectionist enables me to do more, create more, and experience
more.
• I do not try to perform perfectly or appear perfect. It just increases
my anxiety.
• It is not necessary to do things perfectly. I do not care if I am judged.
• I relinquish my desire to appear perfect to others.
• I reject images of happiness and perfection portrayed by television.
• My family does not need to be perfect. My life does not need to be perfect.
• It is not important that my social interactions or social events go
perfectly.
• I do not need to be perfect. My interactions with others do not need
to be perfect.
• My mistakes and imperfections make me human. I prefer to be human.
• I put my best forward when interacting with others, but I do not need
to be perfect.
• My social events do not need to be perfect. It's the people and interactions
that I value.
• I do not expect friends to be perfect. I appreciate their humanness.
• I let go of my desire for a perfect life, perfect events, or perfect
interactions.
• I love and appreciate my imperfect life, imperfect events, and imperfect
interactions.
• I love being an imperfect person. I love being a real and genuine person.
• I relieve anxiety and depression by embracing imperfection.
