OPINION (AN COLÚN): One of my NY resolutions is, 'Avoid the perfection trap'

ONE of my New Year Resolutions is to avoid falling into the perfection trap.
Perfectionism can be a very sterile and potentially damaging place. There is something in us which can easily fall head first into it.
You can see it constantly happening in religions across the world, where practitioners frequently indulge in what are in effect Statements of Purity, where religion is boiled down to a declaration of how unsoiled our beings are.
A much better way of behaving would be to openly declare our imperfection, our sinfulness. We Christians are good at this because our practice is to regularly declare our sinfulness. This sort of humility is a much wiser way to proceed on our journey through life. Honesty is the best policy.
Life can be brutally harsh. There are many mines hidden in the tall grass which can blow us to smithereens. None of us are exempt from the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” It's best to realise this, to own up to our weakness and vulnerability, and continue on the path, committed to the modest goals of being kind to one another and doing our best.
As a practitioner of the arts, including woodcarving and creative writing, I have often come up against the perfectionism trap. Faced with the blank page or the rough block of wood, I can freeze and sink into procrastination. The inner critic (which I wouldn't be surprised if it was Satan himself) whispers to me that I am insufficiently talented and it's best to leave it to the geniuses. However, the voice of reason then steps forward in my mind and dismisses the inner critic. “The inner critic is speaking nonsense,” states the voice of reason. “Kick him to touch. You know that the way of creativity is a good mental practice.”
The writer Lawrence Durrell addressed the problem of mental demons and how they can block the path of creativity. His advice was to tell your mental demons “to go to hell and not make a misery of what should be essentially fun, joy.”
Therefore, my advice to myself, which I regularly repeat to myself when engaging in creativity, is, Do your best but remember it's meant to be enjoyable, it's meant to bring a sense of fulfilment.
When I've finished a poem, or a wood carving, I know I've given it my best shot, I feel a sense of fulfilment, and during the creation of the work I have connected with a Higher Power.
If permitted too much sway over us the perfectionism trap can do terrible things in our lives. While a lot of us are caught up in it to varying degrees, I also often see people showing much more positive behaviour. A writer called Robert Glover saw this as well. He wrote, “In general, people are not drawn to perfection in others. People are drawn to shared interests, shared problems, and an individual's life energy. Humans connect with humans. Hiding one's humanity and trying to project an image of perfection makes a person vague, slippery, lifeless, and uninteresting.” Therein lies the irony. If, for example, in the workplace we strive to be the perfect employee - always on time, never complaining, etc - it can make us seem “vague, slippery, lifeless, and uninteresting.”
I have read a couple of beautiful and spot-on messages from Pope Francis in recent weeks which shine a light on our frailty and our transcendent nature.
“You may be flawed, anxious and sometimes irritated,” he said, “but remember that your life is the biggest business in the world. Those who appreciate, admire and love you are many. And, you may not know it but there are people you're special to. I want you to remember that happiness is not having a sky without storms, walking without accidents, working without fatigue, personal relationships without disappointments. Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, confidence in fear, love in discord. Being happy does not only mean valuing the smile, but also reflecting on the sadness. It's not just about commemorating success but learning the lessons of failure. It's not just joy with applause, but joy in anonymity. Being happy is recognizing that life is worth living despite all the challenges, sadness, misunderstandings and moments of emotional and economic crisis. Being happy is not a destiny, but a conquest for those who know how to travel in their own being. Being happy is to stop being a victim of problems and become an actor of your own story. It's like walking through deserts outside of yourself, but managing to find an oasis deep in your soul. It's to thank God every morning for the miracle of life. Being happy is not being afraid of your feelings. It's having a sensitivity to say 'I need you'. It's having the ability to say I love you. You'll find that being happy doesn't mean having a perfect life.”