Unwrapping Perfectionism
It's beginning to look a lot like a Covid Christmas, yet it brings the perfect gift of letting go.
My words are few and far between today, my creative friends.
I have COVID. Ironically, a few days before Christmas, a time of year my husband and I go all out on creating the perfect seasonal feast and present-giving ceremony for our kids.
It was never going to be 100% perfect this year. My second son Jake won’t be with us. Instead, he’ll be on a beach somewhere in Sydney.
Jakey, if you're reading this between the waves, I hope you're having a blast.
My Mum brain worries he’ll be sad or lonely. Why? I don’t know because he has blended seamlessly into life over there. However, like me, he is prone to a touch of melancholy sometimes, and I worry I won’t be there to guide him through.
I’ve been randomly bursting into tears over the past couple of days (they are welling up as I write this) because I miss him. I’ve never spent a Christmas without all my three children, and it feels weird not preparing his presents and stocking alongside his brother and sister’s.
That’s not why I’m here today, though. I’m here to show you my finished illustration around the theme of Perfectionism. And like the Overwhelm drawing before, life seems to reflect art.
Drawing these depictions of artistic ailments has been a bit like living out 'The Magic Paintbrush' by Julia Donaldson, a tale rooted in a traditional Chinese story. The protagonist, Shen, is given a magic paintbrush that brings her creations to life.
As I draw this artistic representation of perfection, life throws it back at me. My supposedly perfect Christmas unravels, and my drawing? Well, it’s chock-full of its own quirks and mistakes.
In art, on social media, at work, and yes, even here on Substack, perfectionism feels like an invisible audience of my own creation, ready to critique my every move. It's thorny, uncomfortable, and downright nasty!
What I've learned from this drawing
Have you ever noticed how our perception paints a picture of perfection, but reality has its own brush strokes?
Perfectionism often thrives in that gap between what we imagine and what truly unfolds. It's like crafting a masterpiece in our minds, only to realise that life's canvas is just downright messy.
However, by acknowledging and embracing the gap between perception and reality, we’ll be free to let go of the relentless pursuit of perfection.
Letting go involves recognising and appreciating the uniqueness of reality and understanding that the interesting moments or discoveries lie in unplanned and imperfect moments.
Perfectionism Illustrated
So, without further ado, here's my illustrated take on the prickly matter of perfectionism, using botanical elements to convey its essence.
Is it perfect? Does it effectively communicate the issue? No for some, yes for others. But do you know what? I'm done with perfectionism.
The perfect drawing, the perfect Christmas…I hereby let go and accept that what will be…will be.
I'll sign off now from this imperfect post, mustering up the energy from my COVID sanctuary to nurse my chesty cough and headache. Unlike my past self, I won't edit this later, when I wake up in the middle of the night berating myself for the amateurish attempt at a post (yes, this HAS happened - that’s why I’ll be exploring the inner critic next).
This is it—imperfectly perfect or perfectly imperfect?
Who knows?
Just pass me the Lemsip!
Stay imperfectly creative
The drawing around overwhelm can be found here: