Perfection

Here's an interesting and applicable article I found in Glamour magazine's health section (Credit: Sarah Jio)!

It is inspirational because although I wouldn't label myself a perfectionist, I feel that some of these qualities fit me and a lot of my friends. And here comes the news telling us we have a 51 percent increased risk of death. Read it and tell me what you think!

The Best Health News We've Heard All Year:

Are you a perfectionist?

Many women are, but we might want to rethink our demanding ways. Researchers recently found that self-described perfectionists--those who placed the highest expectations on themselves--had a 51 percent increased risk of premature death compared with their more chill peers. "People who are motivated by perfectionism carry around more anxiety as a result of being too hard on themselves," says the study's lead researcher, Prem S. Fry, Ph.D., Western University in Langley, British Columbia. "That anxiety makes the body more susceptible to physiological stress and even physical ailments, and the result can be a health disaster." How can you silence your inner perfectionist?

FIND YOUR FOCUS.

"Instead of trying to do everything exactly right, prioritize the areas of your life where you really want to excel," suggests Fry. That might mean accepting that you'll never be a tech wiz--or even giving up some activities altogether.

LEARN TO MOVE ON.

Case in point: Many artists, architects and Olympic champions strive to be flawless, but they can do it in a Zen-like way--working to perfect their art or craft, yet having the critically important ability to move on after a bad race or an uninspired painting. "The key isn't whether or not you're perfect, but whether you berate yourself internally about it, says Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., a psychotherapist and author of It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction.

DO SOMETHING THAT SCARES YOU.

Ever tried salsa dancing? Public speaking? If it freaks you out, do it, says Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D., a psychologist in Wexford, Pennsylvania and author of A Happy You: our Ultimate Prescription for Happiness. "Perfectionists tend not to try new endeavors for fear of failure," she says. But here's the thing: "Doing something out of your comfort zone lets you give yourself permission not to be perfect, and you'll be healthier for doing it," she says. "Getting out of a rut can boost your physical health, research shows, not to mention your happiness."