This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING: If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.
- Lao Tzu
DAILY REFLECTION: Letting Go of Old Beliefs
Try harder. Do better. Be perfect.
These messages are tricks that people have played on us. No matter how hard we try, we think we have to do better. Perfection always eludes us and keeps us unhappy with the good we've done.
Messages of perfectionism are tricks because we can never achieve their goal. We cannot feel good about ourselves or what we have done while these messages are driving us. We will never be good enough until we change the messages and tell ourselves we are good enough now.
We can start approving of and accepting ourselves. Who we are is good enough. Our best yesterday was good enough; our best today is plenty good too.
We can be who we are, and do it the way we do it - today. That is the essence of avoiding perfection.
God, help me let go of the messages that drive me into the crazies. I will give myself permission to be who I am and let that be good enough.
Daily share from the forum can be found here:
Today's Sharing - Today's Hope