Are you a perfectionist?
I remember when I was growing up, I had to straighten everything in my room before I could go to sleep. Bert and Ernie had to be perfectly lined up with Kermit, the curtains had to be closed with the seam in the exact middle. My Fisher Price Batman record player had to be parallel to the wall, and my bookcase had to have all the Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown books pushed in.
I would look over everything a few times, and only then could I close my eyes.
All of this seemed normal until I grew up and noticed very similar traits in some of my children. The need to make sure it's done right.
Paying attention to detail is actually a good trait, but when you screw up, the consequences of being hard on yourself are much more severe.
How many of you have "perfect" days, but when you get a curve ball, are slow to recover?
The boss loved your project and cited many reasons why, but using a different font next time in your powerpoint was your takeaway?
Your spaghetti is great, but it could use a bit more oregano is what you hear?
"Thank you for loving me so deeply, but we need more date nights," can turn a positive into a "you're not doing this correctly."
I have a Breaking News-First at Three moment for you.
You're not that perfect.
Not even close.
This is where we can remember our Sunday teachings and lean into His forgiveness, but you gotta give yourself...
Grace.
And you also have to change your mindset to allow your heart to be filled with the positive and use the not-as-positive to grow as a person.
That font will make you better at your job.
That oregano will make your Italian mainstay just that..a mainstay. I mean, if Olive Garden can get it right...
More date nights make you more attractive because you listened to your partner.
But those curveballs will come at a feverish pace, and sometimes you can't get one over the plate no matter how hard you try.
And that's called..Life.
Because sometimes you're the batter in those situations, and sometimes you're the pitcher.
And that's the extent of my baseball analogies.
Getting it right makes you strong. Getting it wrong makes you stronger.
That's the lesson to be learned.
All my best as you figure out life and the relationships in it.
XOXO Glenn
