Refuse to surrender to perfectionism

Picture this, it's February 2015 and I'm doing my very first ever 'webinar'

 I was brand new in the online world and decided that I would very bravely do a webinar.

After a full day of testing and rehearsing (I even forgot the chocolate on my desk!) and days of preparing my webinar, I'm all set for my webinar "How to Overcome Perfectionism".

I see the names of people who signed up - from all over the world - on my screen... I start speaking. Welcoming my guest to the webinar, and then.... nothing! ..... There is no sound!

There are people from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, United States, Germany, Jordan, France and Great Britain...

BUT THEY CAN'T HEAR ME!!!!

I'm freaking out, Rik my husband is running back and forth between our offices. I'm doing everything possible while the majority of all my visitors is waiting patiently (I was really touched by their patience!)

But there was no other alternative than to cancel the meeting.

NOW, I've got to confess, If this had happened to me last year, I probably would have crawled under every duvet in the house and cried my eyes out. Giving in to the perfectionistic monster.

But I didn't (I was somewhat surprised by it as well...)

Hours later, when the dust has settled down, I reflected on what had happened.

Why the hell hadn't I surrender to perfectionism? Because if ever there had been a Stress Test? This had been it.

Was it some sort of will power? And why was there no shame? I had felt no shame at all (and I excel in the whole shame thing!)

And then * Light Bulb Moment, I realized, it had been the gratitude.

I had felt so profoundly grateful for the people who had patiently waited for the webinar to start. I felt grateful for everyone who had signed up. And had I felt such immense gratitude  towards the people who had tried to help me.

My husband, my brother and sister, friends, even people who I'd never met before!

The intense feeling of gratefulness had been so profound that there was no space left for the perfectionistic monster to enter my mind.

Being grateful is a great neutralizer for shame and perfectionism!

SO, if you think failing is the worst thing that can happen to you. It's not. I promise you

I can't find the recording anymore. - it's been a long time ago -  But you might like to see how I struggled for years with going online and doing videos. Have fun!