Wednesday Wisdom

Along the same lines as my "Monday Music" feature, I've decided to start a new weekly feature spotlighting some of my favorite quotations.  I truly believe that acquiring a collection of meaningful music and quotations is a great way to build up a layer of defense against depression.  In fact, I have a whole playlist on iTunes simply called "Happy," from which I've handpicked all of the songs I've featured so far on this blog.  Similarly, I have a Word document tucked away on my laptop containing quotations that I've come across that I find inspiring, motivating, and uplifting.  I always get a little thrill when I find a quotation that really speaks to me.  Taking a few moments to ponder snippets of wisdom amidst the demands and rush of everyday life allows me to center myself and ask: Am I living this?

So without further ado, I give you the first of (hopefully) many bits of Wemmy's Wednesday Wisdom, straight from a magnet on my fridge:

Via Quotable Cards

This quote is comforting for someone like me, who has struggled with excessively demanding and counterproductive perfectionism for as long as I can remember.  When I perceive that I've failed in some way - and this could be as stupid and trivial as not completing a scheduled workout, or not washing my face before I go to bed - it's unbelievably hard for me to start anew, to put it behind me and not let said "failure" bog me down.  The internal dialogue that ensues often borders on the absurd (a fact that I'm typically only able to discern later): "Ew, I didn't wash my face last night, now I feel disgusting... I'll have to spend an extra long time in the shower this morning scrubbing my face and I just don't have the energy... Ugh, I look terrible... I can't risk seeing someone I know at Teeter so forget running errands..."  And if this is the mental haranguing I endure for something as insignificant as not washing my face one night, imagine how I feel when I haven't exercised in months, or when I've put off applying for that job for weeks.  (Not trying to drum up sympathy here; just attempting to illustrate the inner workings of my dysfunctional mind.) 

I'm definitely still learning how NOT to constantly be at the mercy of my automatic thoughts -- how to command that obnoxiously large, stubborn "elephant."  Today's quote helps me shut those thoughts up, or at least become more aware of how silly they are.  No one, myself included, can live a perfect day-to-day existence, so why should I hold myself to some impossibly high standard?  What I can do is live mindfully and in the moment.  I can do my best today while forgiving myself for yesterday's "old nonsense."