nerves
Emotions & the Body – Part 2: Don’t fear feelings – express them!
Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist
For so many years I danced before so many mirrors and really thought that the size of my thighs was the hardest thing to look at.
But all this talk of perfectionism on the blog here is revealing all this stuff in ME that I’d prefer not to look at. Writing about perfectionism is the hardest mirror to look in. Ever.
Here I am trying to help you dancers overcome the darker side of perfectionism, but as I do so, the mirror flips back at me, and I see how I still get trapped, how I still forget to listen to my own advice and trust what I know deep down.
So, as hard to admit as it is, I’m still a perfectionist.
The Problem with Perfectionism
Last month’s blog post really struck a chord with a lot of people (thanks everyone for all the facebook likes and shares!). I am feeling quite humbled, but also compelled to write more… Because although perfectionism is so pervasive in the dance-world, not a lot of dancers are aware of the impact it is having on them, or how it can actually prevent them from performing at their best. So today, let’s delve a little deeper into the dark side of perfectionism...
What’s so bad about perfectionism?
At first glance, perfectionism can seem like an amazing thing, and perfectionists, amazing people. And it’s true – there are certainly many wonderful benefits of perfectionism:
- You work very hard
- You have very high standards
- You are reliable
- You care about what you do
- You pay attention to the most intricate details
- You achieve amazing results
What could be so bad about that???