The Dark Side Of Perfection – How 'Picture Perfect' Can Mess Up Your Life
- Feb 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 7, 2024
Written by: Kshama Singhi, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In a world filled with social media's perfect pictures and romantic movies' beautiful stories, many of us want a perfect life. Without realising it, we compare our happiness to carefully chosen images and love stories' well-planned plots.
But, have you ever considered: What if trying too hard to be perfect isn't just a harmless wish?
What if it's actually causing problems and making our lives less happy?
Let's talk about how wanting things to be perfect affects us and see how you can break away from it.
1. Creating unrealistic ideas
As you scroll through Instagram or indulge in a romantic comedy, it's easy to get captivated by the idea of flawless relationships and seemingly perfect lives. However, a short social media reel or a couple of hours of a romantic movie can hardly capture the true complexities of real life. What happens when unexpected challenges come our way?
In our idealised world, every character says and does the perfect things, never disrupting our plans. But in reality, people have their own thoughts and actions, each situation is unique, and the timing of events seldom aligns perfectly! This is where frustration and discontent start to seep in.
Striving for perfection might be obscuring the true beauty of our imperfect lives. The real drama of our daily struggles and authentic emotions often go unnoticed because we're attempting to reach an impossible ideal. The pursuit of a picture-perfect life may be overshadowing the genuine, unedited experiences that actually make life special.
Remember, it's not just about the destination; it's the journey that truly matters. The journey teaches you a lot about your destination.
2. Feeling small and stuck when life isn’t perfect
The concept of "perfect" varies from person to person, with each individual having their own vision of perfection in different aspects of life. When we constantly measure our messy realities against the polished and flawless images portrayed on social media, in romantic comedies, or in the lives of others, it can create a sense of not being good enough, like we lack something or are insufficient.
This comparison often results in a decline in self-confidence, a perpetual sense of dissatisfaction, and a lack of certainty in ourselves. It hinders our ability to embrace things as they are, leaving us feeling stuck and making it challenging to progress in life.
3. Demanding perfection causes problems in relationships
Have you ever found yourself thinking, 'She shouldn't have done that!' or 'If only he would change his ways!' or 'I wish my parents were more understanding!' When we have a perfect picture in our minds of how people should be, it's tough to accept them as they are. We end up trying to make the people around us fit into our perfect idea, and this makes relationships hard. It can lead to holding onto feelings of anger and resentment. Not only that, it stops us from growing and looking at different perspectives of the situation.
For instance, picture wanting your friend to always agree with you. If they have a different opinion, it might upset you. Everyone has their own thoughts and feelings, but your perfect image doesn't let your friend be real. This can lead to fights and even a possible breakup.
It's better to accept and appreciate our friends for who they are, even if they don't always agree with us.
But, you know, they say you can't change others, only yourself.
4. Choosing the easy way out
Sometimes, wanting everything to be perfect makes us take the easy path. In today's world, where everything is quick and just a click away, we might give up easily when things don't go as planned. This could be in relationships, situations, or even with our friends and family.
Instead of putting in the effort to improve things, understand the situation or the person, and use the chance to grow and become better, we often just walk away without trying. This becomes our habit, and we end up doing the same things in life and relationships, expecting different results.
Breaking free: Embracing life's imperfections
It's time to let go of the idea that everything has to be perfect and start appreciating the beauty in life's imperfections. Real happiness comes from being yourself and making real connections with others.
That's the first step to taking control of your own happiness.
If you want some helpful tips on how to stop chasing perfection, you can find them in my eBook called "Letting Go of Picture Perfect."
It's got practical advice to guide you on your journey to finding genuine happiness. Get your copy today and start breaking free from the pressure of being perfect!
Kshama Singhi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kshama Singhi, a certified Empowerment Coach accredited by Jay Shetty, has been on a mission since 2020. Her passion lies in guiding women through powerful transformations. Kshama's own journey, marked by a pivotal divorce, ignited a fire within her to empower others. She firmly believes that the foundation of our lives lies in the relationship we have with ourselves. Today, fuelled by this newfound purpose, she's unwavering in her commitment to help women emerge as the architects of their own empowered destinies.
