For as long as I can remember, I have been a perfectionist. Arguably, I'm the most strict perfectionist anyone has known. Everything in my life is as structured as I can make it, and if something in my schedule changes, all hell breaks loose in my mind. This can become extremely annoying for the people I surround myself with because a lot of my friends are "go with the flow" kind of people. What can I say, though? I cannot help that my bed pillows have to be the exact way I like, and I cannot help that my planners have to be color-coded or else my brain will get confused. It's something that's just part of my personality. However, for those of you who don't understand why perfectionists act the way we do, here are some confessions we would love for you to know.
1. I can't just "come back to it later"
Once the idea is in my head, I need to do it right that second. If not, it will bother me for the rest of the day.
2. You CANNOT help me make my bed
Please don't take this personally, it's just that I know how I like my space to look. You may not put the pillows on the correct way I like them to be.
3. And sometimes I'll make the bed again, just because
Just because I'm a perfectionist doesn't mean I never make mistakes. I can't always make my bed look great the first time.
4. School supply shopping is the hardest Target trip of my life
Planners, notebooks, pens - they have to look a certain way or I will freak. I swear there's a method to my madness (and my organization skills).
5. NOT ALL PENS ARE THE SAME
Color-coding is a huge portion of my routine, and not all pens do the job how I like. Felt-tipped doesn't write the same as ballpoint!
6. Writing out all of my notes is going to take at least 20 minutes
And if, God forbid, I mess up something, you might as well add on another 10 minutes.
7. I will ALWAYS use a level to hang things on the wall
This seems tedious, but I promise it will be worth it in the long run. A slightly tilted picture on the wall will forever stare through my soul if I don't use a level.
8. My room will get rearranged a billion times throughout the year
I may like things to be perfect, but sometimes I need a change. My furniture placement is never permanent.
9. Don't EVER move things around on purpose
The quickest way to make me scream is to move things around just to get under my skin. I will notice in less than five minutes.
10. Bad moods usually spawn from perfectionist-related dilemmas
If I cannot do something perfectly the first couple of times, you best believe my attitude will go south. Don't take it personally, I probably just couldn't do a bullet journal spread like the professionals.
Laugh all you want, but being a perfectionist has gotten me through school in (almost) one piece, especially in college. Without being a perfectionist, I don't think my life would be as put together as it currently is. Well, it's not put together, but at least this aspect of my personality makes me feel like it's getting there. Not everyone understands the way perfectionists think and do the things they do, but we promise there's a true method to our apparent madness.
