Perfection really is subjective

One of the biggest pitfalls of being a perfectionist is that you are constantly searching for the perfect “everything”, from the perfect pair of shoes to the perfect relationship. This is a never ending and exhausting quest mostly because “perfect” is a subjective term. What is perfect for one person is the worst thing possible for someone else. What is that saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” While this is the mantra of every garage sale groupie I know, it also speaks to the fact that for each person there is a different idea/checklist of what makes up perfection. 

So here is MY checklist for the big ones:

The perfect date – Does anyone remember that scene in Miss Congeniality where Miss Rhode Island responds that question with “That’s a tough one. I‘d have to say April 25^th. Because it’s not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.”  After filling out countless dating profiles I started using this as my response just to see if somebody would get the reference. A couple did. But my honest answer would be a date where we are having so much fun we forget the time. I have had a couple of these in my dating lifetime and it truly wasn’t about what we were doing as the fact that we were so enjoying the moment that we lost track of the world. The perfect date is losing touch with everything but the person you are with. 

The perfect job – The one I have right now. When people ask me what I do for a living I reply one of two ways, “I get paid to boss a grown man around” or, “I heard cats.” Both are accurate descriptions. The funny thing is I love doing it. My boss is a great human being; funny, kind, considerate, and just technically challenged enough that he will always need me. Our marketing team is a group of smart, hardworking people who really work to make each other’s lives easier. Our office and campus is beautiful and there are some great perks. Best of all, no two days are the same. Today I finished up a film synopsis, put together my boss’ travel packet for China, surfed the internet for interesting marketing ideas and set up the office space for my intern. The day before that I killed myself working on a powerpoint presentation and next week I have budgeting documents to work on. Variety is what makes it my perfect job. 

The perfect relationship – If I had written this piece a few years ago I would have described weekends spent cuddling, date nights at great restaurants and lots of common interests. Today the answer is a bit different. Being with JB has taught me that it is all about quality of time spent, not quantity and that my favorite love note is the “Good morning” text he sends me every day. It’s about knowing what the other person is thinking and that they always want what is best for you. Ultimately, the perfect relationship is finding in another person a place you are safe and can completely be yourself. 

Really perfection is the moment you understand that you wouldn’t change a thing because if you do you lose what makes that moment special.

What is your perfection checklist? Share it with me. I would love to hear what your

“treasure” is.  

And if you missed my post on the perfect moment, read it here.