Hello beautiful being,
So today we are going to practice a guided visualization exercise to help you deal with perfectionism.
You might have heard of a quote by Rumi which goes like,
Beyond all the ideas of right and wrong,
There is a field,
I will meet you there.
So let's begin our journey to that field.
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down,
Gently close your eyes,
Taking a deep calming breath in and as you exhale,
Releasing any tension you might be holding.
Envision yourself standing in a lush forest surrounded by towering trees of different shapes and sizes,
Taking a moment to observe the uniqueness of each tree,
Noticing how some trees have branches that curve and twist while others have branches that reach out in different directions.
Now bring your attention to one particular tree that stands out to you.
Looking closely at its branches and leaves,
You will notice that not every branch is perfectly straight and not every leaf is evenly shaped.
The flowers on the tree also do not have perfectly symmetrical petals.
In fact,
You might also notice that some branches may even have a few broken or missing leaves.
Nature shows us that beauty can be found in these unique imperfections.
Let us remember that we are a part of nature,
We too have our own imperfections,
But that doesn't make us any less beautiful or valuable.
Now take some steps towards that particular tree.
Standing beneath the tree,
Connect fully with the nature,
Feeling that gentle breeze on your skin,
While sensing that breeze,
You hear a soft reassuring whisper.
You look around to see that it was that tree speaking to you,
Reminding you that perfection is an illusion.
The branches of that tree begins to move and you find yourself holding hands of that tree,
Feeling safe in the reassuring hands of the tree.
Bring to mind an extreme judgmental thought that might occur when you are engaging in perfectionistic tendencies.
That thought can be recent or from the past.
Visualize those rigid thoughts transforming into leaves that are fluttering away in the breeze,
Leaving you feeling lighter and more open.
As your thoughts leave you,
Envision the tree speaking to you and sharing its wisdom.
The tree reminds you that when we fall into the trap of all or nothing thinking,
By trying to paint the world in black and white,
Right or wrong,
Perfect or imperfect,
We limit our understanding of the world and ourselves.
We disregard the shades of grey,
The intricacies,
The multifaceted nature of reality.
By clinging to extreme judgments and interpretations,
We suffer because the world doesn't fit neatly into our extreme beliefs.
It's like trying to sail against a strong wind,
Resisting the flow of reality.
It would be a constant struggle causing frustration and exhaustion if we try to resist the reality.
But what if we choose to align our perspective with the reality that exists in shades of grey?
The tree pauses and asks you this one last question,
Inviting you to take some time to reflect upon that question.
The tree continues,
What aspects of your life could benefit from embracing shades of grey and letting go of extreme judgments of being perfect or imperfect?
Just let this question sit with you for the rest of the day.
Now the time has come to bid the tree goodbye.
So envision yourself moving close to the tree,
Wrapping your arms around it and hugging the tree tightly,
Thanking it for reminding you that you are also a part of nature and your imperfections are beautiful too.
You do not need to be perfect to be valued or loved.
You are imperfectly perfect.
You close your eyes while hugging the tree to fully feel connected to that tree.
Now inhale the essence of this whole experience and gently open your eyes as you exhale,
Noticing yourself coming back to your surroundings.
Bring your awareness to the surface beneath you.
Look around in your room from left to right,
Gently soaking in the atmosphere you are in.
If you would like to know more about dealing with perfectionism or all or nothing thinking pattern,
Then you can check out my courses.
So that's it for today.
I hope that this meditation was a reminder for you to embrace your imperfections and do not wait for everything to be perfect because nature is also not perfect and you are a part of nature.
So carry this awareness with you as you go about your day.
So take care.
Bye bye.
