Okay admit it. If you are not going to, I am. I am a perfectionist. There I said it.

As a working mother, there simply was no room for anything else. No compromises. The sheets have to be creaseless; the management report free of spelling errors; meals must be nutritious; kids must be dressed nicely; husbands must be kept happy; workmates must be kept impressed; the sales presentation must be professional; it must look effortless when entertaining friends, the house must be spotless and the food absolutely delish; I must look like I am Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey all rolled into one.

Back to earth, I think it is time I cut myself some slack. I can never be perfect, even though I should do my absolute best in everything I do, I can never be perfect.  I am not meant to be perfect, that’s why I need God. I am not meant to be perfect, that’s why I don’t have to be emotionally balanced all of the time.  I am not meant to be perfect, that’s why I make mistakes (is that even possible?).

Here are 10 ways how I give myself the permission to NOT be perfect. As I am not perfect, I fall down sometimes, trying to do some of these things.

1. It is okay for the kids clothes not to match up nicely when we go out.
2. It is okay to encounter difficulties managing a project at work; that’s what they pay me for.
3. It is okay that the food does not look like the food pictures in Nigella’s cookbook.
4. It is okay that the house is not spotless or the laundry is backed up.
5. It is okay to say “No” to another church meeting. God is not counting.
6. It is okay that Martha will never approve of the home made decorations for Christmas that look like roadkill.
7. It is okay that  I forgot about the conference call I was supposed to attend.
8. It is okay that I cannot find what I need because my filing is not up to date.
9. It is okay to freak out once in a while, making sure I don’t do it too many times, irritating dear husband.
10. Finally, it is okay not to have alphabetised cans in my larder.

Perhaps you should start writing your own list?  Relax, it does not need to be perfect.