Ways to Let Go Of Perfection During the Autumn Months.

I really enjoy the darker nights, when you don’t need an excuse to sit down in front of the TV and catch up on all your favourite shows and movies. However, as the seasonal events come one after another, trying to stay on top of everything and staying organised can become an obsession. Leaving us feeling not good enough, setting ourselves unrealistic expectations, criticising ourselves and striving for unattainable ideals.

We must prioritise our mental health and well-being by replacing harsh self-criticism with positive self-talk, making room for new experiences, and accepting ourselves as we are. In today’s blog post, I want to share some tips and tricks that we can all use (myself included) to help us let go of perfectionism during the autumn months and possibly into the next season as well! Release, change, and reset…

SELF-CARE AND REST THAT MUST BE EMBRACED

• PRIORITIZE “ME” TIME: Set aside specific times for yourself throughout the day or week, depending on what works best for you. Engaging in activities you enjoy, such as taking a walk or reading a book, is just as important as attending a meeting.
• ENGAGE WITH POSITIVE MINDFUL ACTIVITIES: In the morning, when you wake up, take some time before getting out of bed and do a couple of deep breathing exercises – inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 1 second and then exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds, repeat or whatever feels comfortable for you! You can incorporate positive mindful activities into your daily routine. For example, when you go for a walk, try to appreciate the beauty of nature, notice the movement of your body, and pay attention to the sights and sounds around you.

• BE KIND TO YOURSELF: Give yourself the same amount of kindness and understanding as you would offer to a friend.
• START WRITING IN A JOURNAL: Writing down your thoughts, feelings, and emotions at the end of the day can be incredibly helpful for recognising, processing, and expressing them, whether you’ve had a successful day or one of the worst days of your life. You might find that using pen and paper to write everything down reduces your stress levels and allows you to see your personal growth and the progress you’ve made toward your goals.d your goals.

LET GO OF UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

• SAY THE WORD “NO” WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY: Protect your own time and energy by setting boundaries and saying no to commitments that you don’t want to do or don’t align with your priorities.
• EMBRACE THE MESSINESS: Think of your life as an autumn landscape, where old leaves fall and scatter, and the weather becomes unpredictable and chaotic—much like the journey of life itself. I understand that during these messy and chaotic times, it can feel unbearable. However, if you choose to embrace the messiness and accept that things may not always go as planned, it can lead to beautiful and special moments that arise from the unexpected.

• ONLY FOCUS ON PROGRESS, INSTEAD OF PERFECTION: Celebrate every small step that brings you closer to your ultimate goal. Don’t fixate on achieving perfection, as this can lead to discouragement before you’ve even put in enough effort. By shifting your focus, you can significantly boost your self-confidence and reduce anxiety.
• STOP WITH THE JUDGMENTAL THOUGHTS: Being a perfectionist is an unhealthy mindset to have, as it can stop you from moving on from past mistakes and hold you back with future worries.
• BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF: Allow yourself some time to process and appreciate your personal progress, and even the things that don’t go to plan, as acknowledging the little things can help you value your work and the knowledge you have gained.

• LIMIT YOUR TASK: Set yourself a little to-do list or set aside can be good; however, giving yourself a long to-do list that you know you won’t be able to tick off will give you a negative mindset – “oh, what’s the point?” or “I’m not good enough?”. Instead, limit the amount you put on your list and teach yourself to work effectively.
• SET YOURSELF TIME LIMITS: Instead of refining a project over and over again for days and days, set yourself a time limit and commit to stopping once it has gone off.

PERFECTION DOESN’T ALWAY LEAD TO PROGRESSION!