Something that I hear quite regularly from the people around me as I go about my day; whether it be people I know or a stranger as they walk by, is the fact that they have to be a perfect person. I also noticed that one way they become "perfect" is by doing what other people want them to do rather than what they want. The problem with doing that though is that they are generally unhappy. Another problem is the conflict of interests for what people want for you. For example, your parents would want you to do one thing while your friends want you to do another. The person is then confronted with deciding whose opinion is more valuable and important than the others. Once they choose the one they decide is more important, the person is than consumed by guilt for not listening to other person. As you become more and more obsessed with achieving perfection through other peoples eyes, the more generally unhappy I notice that people become.
Another way that people; more commonly women, do to achieve perfection is how they should look and behave. Most women refuse to leave the house without putting on make-up and they have to wear the most fashionable clothing, even if it's just to go to a friends house to sit around, eat junk food and watch movies, because they are pressured to look perfect. I know that when you want to make friends you want to do everything you can to fit in, even if it means being someone you are not. I was in that situation once myself. I didn't have many friends and I had a lot of trouble making them. I came across a group of girls that I decided I wanted to be friends with. But, in order to be their friend, I had to change everything I was to become someone I'm not proud of, to become perfect to them. Finally, I was accepted into the group, I finally had friends. However, the more I was with them, the more unhappy I became. When I chose not to be friends with them any more, the girls started to spread very nasty rumours about me. After that, I made friends who accepted me for who I am and love me because of it. It can be very difficult to be yourself all the time. There are some people in your life already that you become a different person with when you are around them compared to everyone else. I guess that's just normal. But being someone you are not doesn't make you perfect.
I believe that being perfect means that you have to accept everything about yourself; the way you look, your personality, likes and dislikes. Once we realise those, we have to recognise our strength and our weakness. In order to believe that you are perfect, you have to embrace everything about yourself, even your weaknesses. Its a difficult journey to discover yourself. Sometimes there are people that know you better than you know yourself. But the only way to be perfect is to be yourself and do what makes you happy no matter what anyone else thinks about it. You have to always be yourself. If not being able to leave the house without make-up is apart of who you are and not a need to be perfect than do it! If it means turning up to a friends fancy dress birthday party in sweatpants, an old sweatshirt and your hair in a pony tail than go for it. You are perfect the way you are, doing what you do because you love it. Don't ever change yourself to be perfect in someone else's eyes, be perfect in your own eyes...that is the key to happiness.
