Preparing for change
Even though change can mean improving your life, it’s not easy to change long-held, damaging habits. It is normal to have mixed feelings about change – being scared of change yet wanting the benefits of change. Let’s work through some of these feelings and thoughts:
Take some time to write down some of the pros (+) and cons (-) of keeping things as they are and allowing perfectionism to continue, or to change. Don’t worry if you find it hard to complete this. Sometimes, it can be hard to think of + and - of change when one has been living with an unhelpful behaviour for a long time. It can help to think of these questions through the eyes of a person who is close to you and cares for you e.g. your parents, siblings or close friends. What + and - would they see for you to stay the same or make changes? Add these thoughts to the boxes. You can even ask them if you’d like!
Pros and Cons of Changing Perfectionism
| (+) of not changing my perfectionism | (-) of not changing my perfectionism |
|---|---|
| (+) of changing my perfectionism | (-) of changing my perfectionism |
The Long-term Pros and Cons of Perfectionism
Another way is to think about how your life will be in the next year with or without perfectionism.
In one year’s time, what will have happened in this area?
| Area of life | If I still had perfectionism | If I no longer had perfectionism |
|---|---|---|
| My friends | ||
| My work/studies | ||
| My mental health | ||
| My relationship with my close friends | ||
| My relationship with my parents/siblings | ||
| Doing my part for the community | ||
| My spiritual life (if applicable) | ||
| My hobbies | ||
| My fitness, physical and nutritional health | ||
| Others (please explain) |