The Benefits of Self-Compassion for Perfectionist Women
Self-Compassion is Essential When You’re a Perfectionist
Two things that rarely go together, perfectionism and self-compassion, are so important.
If you’re a self-proclaimed perfectionist, there might be times when your perfectionism serves you well and you benefit. Chances are this is not always the case and your perfectionism can also lead to a lot of challenges too.
During these hard and challenging moments that come with perfectionism, using self-compassion can make all the difference.
In this blog, I’m going to share with you why self-compassion is important and how it can help you.
I’m a therapist in Wilmington, NC, and provide online therapy for stressed-out and busy professional women located in Maryland and North Carolina. Most often my clients also experience perfectionism, anxiety, and burnout as well.
Ready to get started in online therapy with me? Schedule your free 15-minute consultation.
Keep reading to learn more about self-compassion and perfectionism.
8 Ways Self-Compassion Benefits a Perfectionist
Self-compassion is rarely thought of as something that is important but it can have a big impact. Check out these 8 ways having self-compassion could benefit you.
Reducing Self-Criticism
When you experience perfectionism, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with negative thoughts and feelings about yourself. Practicing self-compassion can reduce the amount of self-criticism that you experience. Self-compassion involves being kind and understanding towards yourself when things don’t go as planned or when you make mistakes. It also involves recognizing your humanity, which means acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes and that failure is part of life.
Improving Your Relationship With Yourself
Self-compassion can also help to improve your relationship with yourself. When you practice self-compassion, you are more likely to forgive yourself for your mistakes and treat yourself with kindness instead of judgment. This can help to create a healthier relationship between you and your inner critic, allowing you to move forward in a more positive direction.
Boosting Your Motivation
Self-compassion can also help to boost your motivation when dealing with perfectionism. When you practice self-compassion, it helps to remind yourself that failure is part of the learning process and that it’s okay if things don't go perfectly the first time around. This can help to give you the courage and motivation needed to keep trying even in the face of adversity or failure.
Increasing Resilience
Self-compassion can also help to increase your resilience when dealing with perfectionism by helping you view setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than failures. It helps to remind yourself that not everything will always go according to plan and that it’s okay if things don't work out exactly the way you want them to - this will help build up your resilience so that you are better able to cope with future challenges or disappointments without becoming overwhelmed or discouraged.
Enhancing Wellbeing
Practicing self-compassion can also enhance your overall well-being by helping reduce stress levels and increasing feelings of contentment and satisfaction in life. When you are kinder towards yourself, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by your emotions or become stuck in negative thought patterns which can lead you down a spiral of anxiety or depression - instead, you are more likely to focus on your strengths and successes which will ultimately lead you towards greater happiness and fulfillment in life
Increased Self-Awareness
One way that self-compassion can help those who experience perfectionism is by increasing self-awareness. When you can be compassionate with yourself, you can more easily identify your thoughts and feelings without judgment, which can help you recognize patterns of perfectionism that may be holding you back. Additionally, self-compassion can help you to become aware of how your perfectionistic tendencies may be impacting your relationships or other aspects of your life.
More Acceptance
Self-compassion also helps you to accept yourself for who you are rather than striving for an unrealistic ideal. By being kind and understanding towards yourself, you can recognize that no one is perfect and that it’s okay if you make mistakes or don’t meet your expectations. This acceptance can help you to move forward in life without feeling like you need to strive for perfection constantly.
Reduced Stress & Anxiety
Self-compassion can also help reduce stress and anxiety associated with perfectionism by providing a sense of comfort and security. When you can show yourself kindness and understanding, it helps us to feel more safe in situations where you may feel overwhelmed or insecure due to your perfectionistic tendencies. This in turn can help reduce the amount of stress and anxiety experienced when attempting tasks or engaging in activities that may trigger perfectionistic thinking patterns.
Start Online Therapy in North Carolina for Perfectionism at Calm Waters Counseling
Being a perfectionist can create a lot of challenges and high expectations for yourself and others.
When these challenges start showing up and become too overwhelming, one of the best things you can do for yourself is bring in some self-compassion.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is the therapy model used for perfectionism treatment at Calm Waters Counseling. ACT Therapy incorporates a lot of self-compassion in the treatment model making it a natural fit to treat perfectionism.
Learn more to see if Acceptance and Commitment Therapy would be helpful for you.
Ready to get started in therapy with me? Follow these 3 easy steps below.
1| Set up the consultation - Choose a date and time for your consultation.
2| Fill out the questionnaire - Within 24 hours of your consultation request, you will receive an email confirming and providing a link to a brief questionnaire. This needs to be completed 24 hours before the consultation.
3| Take the phone call - Once the questionnaire is completed, I will call you at the designated time you chose for your consultation. At this time, I will gather more information about you and your therapy goals.
Additional Online Therapy Services at Calm Waters Counseling
In addition to working with stressed-out and overwhelmed women entrepreneurs and business owners, at Calm Waters Counseling we focus on other areas of focus too, including:
Therapy for Stress - You’ve got a lot going on and only a little bandwidth left. You’re overwhelmed and it’s clear it’s becoming too much to handle on your own.
Burnout Counseling - Your motivation and enjoyment of your work seem to have diminished. Now all that is left recently is exhaustion and apprehension. The burnout
Therapy for Anxiety - Your mind is overwhelmed by worries and all the thoughts that come through. Consistently experiencing feeling on edge will leave you
For more information on online therapy in your state, click the links below.
Online Therapy for Stress in Maryland
Online Therapy for Stress in North Carolina
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Written by: Laura Rippeon, LCSW, LCSW-C