Last week, I took a read of Emma Gannon’s recent article for Elle. If you haven’t read it, it has to be the first thing you do to welcome in the New Year. Emma discusses the millennial pressure to reach unattainable perfectionism, and it had me NODDING MY HEAD all the way through. I couldn’t resonate with it more. After all, it’s taken me twenty minutes alone to decide on the title of this post…
The Perfect Perfectionist. The ‘perfect’ perfectionist. The perfect Perfectionist.
*sigh*
Like anyone is actually going to read this post, let alone even care about its title.
As a twenty something (soon-to-be-graduate), the prospect of leaving my educational security blanket and entering the 'adult' world is slightly daunting. If I’m to be successful by society’s standards, I better start checking off this list…
CEO of a successful company by the age of 25 (ok, maybe 27 at a push)
Live a sustainable and plastic-free life #zerowaste
Feminist/Political Activist/LGBTQ Campaigner
Vegan, 100% VEGAN.
Constant seeker of social media validation
Daily meditator and practiser of mindfulness
100% woke and politically correct
Reality check; I’m in just a little bit of debt and still completely clueless about my future. I am constantly saying the wrong things, not progressing in a stable career and neither am I the epitome of ‘wellness’ that frequents my Instagram feed. Society might say I'm failing; I like to say I'm learning.
In the words of Gannon herself, we only have one lifetime to try and make a change, and if we continue to go this ‘perfectionist’ route then we’ll be shooting ourselves in the foot.
So, I am making a pledge when the clock strikes midnight. It's time to calm down, slow down and stop giving a f*ck. I am reminding myself that I don't have to do everything at once, I shouldn't beat myself up for not having done enough (whatever that is anyway) and it's ok to be a little flawed and rough around the edges.
Millennials, let's raise our glasses to a 2019 filled with fear, imperfections and flaws.
Cheers!