Shame: The Birthplace of Perfectionism

“Shame is the birthplace of perfectionism.” When I first read this line in “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene Brown, I literally threw the book across the room and refused to read another line for almost two years because it struck a chord. It hit a nerve and I simply was NOT ready to deal with it at that moment in my life.

But eventually, I finished the book, and so the beginning of my journey of self-discovery and confronting the naked truth, which was that my intense need to be perfect in all areas of my life did, in fact, stem from shame and deep-seated feelings of unworthiness.

Over the last few years, I have learned that “loving and accepting ourselves are the ultimate acts of courage. In a society that says ‘Put yourself last,’ self-love and self-acceptance are almost revolutionary.”- Brene Brown