How to get rid of the little perfection devil on your shoulder
© Copyright 2021 Artwork by Cordi Neckermann
I don’t know about you, but for me this little word “perfect” seems to get in in the way sometimes. When someone new joins my BollyX Dance Fitness Class, I find myself explaining that my class is not about creating the perfect moves, but enjoying the music and following along to the best of their ability. It is more important to keep moving than to do every move perfectly.
Lately, this non-perfection-attitude has been spilling into my every day life as well. For me, September is aways filled with new beginnings, new schedules and new routines. Running my own business and settling the kids back into school has become a bit of a balancing act, which really, is very similar to a dance fitness class. Some moves are simple and some are more complex, some are familiar and some are completely awkward. They come and they go and it’s up to you how to deal with them.
Sometimes, perfection very much gets in the way and does not serve a purpose at all. Of course, some things are non-negotiable, like putting together the school uniform or passing on information about class times and locations. But there are many things inbetween that require less perfection and more just showing up to keep the stress level down.
I realised at the beginning of this school year that aiming for perfection causes more stress and delay than just going with the flow of things and I became accutely aware of where to put energy and effort in and where it’s ok to 'wing it' and just move on. I admit, this wasn’t easy for me to follow through with. I had lots of trouble moving on from some things, knowing I could have done better. The little perfection devil was looming on my shoulder. But honestly, for some things it is better to simply show up than to go crazy over showing up perfectly.
Recently, I attended a networking event and I knew I had one minute to present my business to the rest of the group. Usually, I would be super thorough and prepare for it days in advance writing up my speech, practicing and making sure I’m not running over time. But amidst all the parents evenings and actual work, there was very little time left and I ended up scribbling some ideas down an hour before the event. Perfect it was not, but I was going to show up no matter what.
It turns out that sometimes, passion is all you need to leave a great impression. I truly belive that by letting go of trying to be perfect and allowing my love and passion for my business and what I do take over, it enabled the right words to tumble out of my mouth with the right energy. I could have fretted over this for days, but in reality, it took 5 minutes to jot down the essentials and speak from my heart.
On reflection, this made me wonder if dance fitness really is the perfect preparation for situations like this. Following along in a dance fitness class, there is very little preparation to catch the next move, a quick hand movement or a verbal pre-cue before the next move is all the warning we get! When one move is done, you move on to the next, no do-overs or continual practice to get it right. Moving forward and staying in motion is key. Perfectionism would just slow the whole process down.
Trusting my improvisation skills and letting go of perfection pulled me through my speaking task without any major preparations. If you feel like you need a little less perfection and more easing into the flow of things in your life, then why not try out a dance fitness class. I’m not going to lie, it can be a challenge, especially when you consider yourself a perfectionist or your starsign is Virgo. But the end result is absolutely worth it. Less stress, more flow and some calories burned as an added bonus!
Book a FREE trial class here!
Can’t wait to dance with you,
Cordi
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