Arizona Beauty and a Discussion on Perfection

I've been feeling a bit "out of it" for the past few weeks. Writing has lost its luster and life is a bit gray. A change was what I needed and thankfully I'd planned a trip to Arizona. This past week, I hiked, learned about the Codetalkers; viewed cliff dwellings, the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, ate mutton, baked gluten free pumpkin donuts and spent time with one of the most wonderful people in the world: my mother.

I don't think it is uncommon for people to get in funks so my case is not unique. I know that eventually I'll get through it, but it sucks. It dampens my mood and creativity. 

I like to think that I've grown up a lot but I'm still learning and I'm far from perfect. Although that's a loaded word. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. If I asked a bunch of random strangers or even polled my friends, I guarantee that everyone would have a different definition. Achieving perfection is often seen as an unattainable goal. Our ideas of perfection are so high that they're just twinkling lights in the distance. Yet we may carelessly throw the word around in conversation and aspire for those perfect heights. 

We want to be "perfect" but is that really our best self?

Think about your definition of perfect. What qualities must someone embody to be perfect? What must they achieve? Putting that into words may be difficult. Perhaps it's easier to think of the negatives. What do you see as imperfections?

Now, what are the odds that someone can actually achieve that? What are the odds that they hit those points of perfection every day? Is your idea of perfection attainable?

Most likely not, but feel free to argue and explain. In my experience, we create pedestals too high for us to reach and too far away to admire. This can cause frustration.

So why are we setting ourselves unrealistic goals? Why do we strive for perfection, knowing that it's highly unlikely, and plow on "full steam ahead"?

Perhaps expectations play a role. Our expectations and the expectations of others. Take another look at your definition of perfection. Where did it come from? Have you heard some of these things from others? Do you hold yourself to these standards? Or do you hold others to them?

When your expectations and beliefs in perfection are not met, how do you react? What kind of self-talk goes through your head? I imagine that it's probably negative. I know mine is. I scold myself relentlessly for not meeting my standards or failing to achieve things. The problem is, I hold others to that as well, and when you do that you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Plus, you're likely isolating your friends and making enemies.

We may also project our expectations onto others or project our fears of judgment onto others. When we try to imagine what others are thinking, we can work ourselves up over nothing. Besides, you can't change someone's thoughts so why bother worrying over them. They may not even be thinking about you at all. 

To conclude on perfection, it's often an unreachable height that we set for ourselves based on expectations that we may have learned as children or as we grew up.  Any thoughts?

This image reminds me of sour cream and onion dip,
but it's really just snow-dusted rock and
the natural beauty of Arizona in winter.