Just this past week, this quote has been my advice for several clients.
"Don't let perfect be the enemy of good."
I understand that we all want to be perfect - we want to eat perfectly, workout perfectly, live perfectly...
Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way.
Oh, and not just your life - everyone's life!
No one's life is perfect, no matter how ideal it may seem. Remember that we never know the whole story with another person's life - we aren't in their head or living their life.
When it comes to making changes to better your health, whether it be related to diet or exercise or both, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Simply try your best in each given moment to make the healthiest choice, accept it, and move on to the next part of your day.
Most of the time, we have a hard time moving through that pattern without feelings or thoughts of guilt creeping in. That little voice whispers in your ear that you "messed up" or "weren't good enough."
Don't listen to that voice - don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
I'm just as guilty as anyone when it comes to getting stuck in the guilt or shame game when we don't make the "best" choice or do what we "should" to be healthy. I have that voice that is on my shoulder, telling me what I should or shouldn't do at every moment.
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
When we let this guilt and shame consume our thoughts, we set ourselves up for failure. We add unnecessary stress to our lives, which further hinders us from reaching our health goals. As we've talked about before, stress = inflammation = not good.
What can we do about it? Learn to accept yourself - wherever you are at. This doesn't mean that you aren't working towards a healthier you - this just means that you are actively accepting yourself where you are, and allowing yourself permission to slip up from time to time before getting right back on track toward your goals.
Remember, life isn't about being perfect. Life is about living. And a life worth living doesn't include guilt, shame, and "shoulds."
xoxo Olivia