Embracing Your Perfectionist Self

At just 8 years old, Vanessa said to her parents, "If it were a perfect world, pencils wouldn't need erasers because we wouldn't make mistakes."

At such a young age, why did she feel that mistakes were always bad? How can the narrative be changed so that future generations don't feel shame, guilt, and the need to be perfect but supported, loved, and celebrated?

Rather than overcoming or eliminating it completely, this condition can be better understood and harnessed in more productive ways. Written by a perfectionist for perfectionists, Vanessa Bush's Embracing Your Perfectionist Self is meant to give others inspiration and useful techniques for their daily lives.

Using each letter of the alphabet as her chapter guide, Vanessa explores different themes: A is for Ambition, C is for Control, F is for Failure, and more. Through a mixture of personal stories, research and interviews, Vanessa shares the wisdom from those that came before us, assuaging her readers that good can be good enough.

This refreshing, vulnerable and playful piece speaks to anyone struggling to find a healthy balance between expectations and reality. Offering a fresh perspective, Vanessa lends expertise and guidance on how to stop resisting and start embracing your perfectionist self.