Painting Therapy for Skilled Perfectionists.

There have been a lot of times in my life when I wanted to paint something. A wall in my home, a small table I found at a thrift store that was $3 and cute but super ugly, an unfinished birdhouse. But I would never do it because “I don’t know what I am doing” and “I don’t want it to look bad”. Those are the things I tell myself because I am a staunch perfectionist. With most everything in my life, I am all or nothing. Perfection or bust. I’m so held back by the thought that something will turn out poorly or not meet my expectations, that I don’t do it at all. Anyone else feelin’ me on this? Side note: I’m also not super into getting all messy…that’s one of the reasons I also do not like to repot my plants.

This is how I envision what me painting would look like…

This weekend, we got to the painting stage of a family room above our garage that we’ve been renovating. And man, was I horrified. I can’t do that! I don’t know what I’m doing! It’ll look terrible! Call the professionals! I tried to reason with my spouse. But, he rolled his eyes and told me 87 times how easy it was going to be, it was a clear room, free of furniture or anything else, nothing to move, no carpet yet, easy peonies. (I just made that up. #TM.) Plus, my kids were all into helping to paint as well, so I thought, I gotta do this. I gotta break free of my shackles of perfectionism and go for it.

I’m sitting here, typing, in maybe the world’s worst outfit (you don’t want to get paint on your good clothes, right?), with dark grey paint speckles all over my ripped pink shirt, in my hair and my spouse just advised me, on my chin. Not sure how that happened. The room is done being painted, and guess what? I had fun. It looks really good, too. We completed the project as a family and it was actually enjoyable.

I’m not going to lie, I was having so much fun painting and getting messy that I may or may not have rollered myself…and my kids…and my spouse…

So, now what? My mind is now ablaze with painting projects that have swirled in my head over the years, the brown side tables and the birdhouses that had gone to die in my basement may finally be shown some love and be given new life, by my novice, unperfect painters hands.

The point of this story, whatever we’re not doing in our lives because we’re too scared of the outcome, let’s just put on our worst clothes, and tackle it head-on. Who knows what other talents I may have that have been hiding under my cape of perfectionism. I’ve always wanted to do woodworking, and make wedding cakes, and that ice sculpting where you use a chainsaw. The room is painted. One step at a time. 🙂

What do you really want to try but don’t because of fear?

Let’s chat.

-Chick A