How flexible are you with yourself?
Perfectionism thrives on rigid rules, particularly around food, exercise, and recovery. When you feel compelled to stick to a strict plan—whether it’s about what you eat, how you look, or how quickly you’re progressing—it leaves little room for flexibility, which is essential for achieving balance. Flexibility allows you to adapt, listen to your body, and let go of the unrealistic expectations that perfectionism imposes. Embracing a more flexible approach, especially with eating, can be incredibly supportive for those dealing with disordered eating patterns.
The truth is, recovery isn’t about control—it’s about flexibility. Learning to let go of those rigid rules and embrace a more flexible mindset will help you build a healthier, more balanced relationship with food, your body, and yourself.
How Perfectionism Limits Flexibility
Perfectionism fosters strict expectations that can make you feel obligated to eat a certain way, look a particular way, or meet specific recovery milestones to feel “on track.” This rigidity often backfires, making it harder to stay balanced and connected to your actual needs.
Here’s how a lack of flexibility shows up in eating disorders:
- Around food: You might have rigid ideas about what foods are “good” or “bad,” feeling like you have to eat perfectly or you’ve failed. This can lead to a cycle of restriction and bingeing as you try to regain control, which shows the connection between flexibility and eating issues.
- Around body image: You might feel like your body needs to look a certain way to feel “good enough.” This can drive obsessive behaviours like over-exercising or restricting food to maintain a specific appearance.
- In recovery: You might feel like your recovery needs to follow a specific timeline or that you can’t afford any setbacks. This pressure makes it harder to adapt and listen to your body’s needs, especially during challenging moments.
The problem with rigid rules is that they don’t account for the natural ups and downs of life. When you’re too focused on sticking to a plan perfectly, you miss the opportunity to adapt to your body’s changing needs and find balance.
Why Flexibility is Key to Recovery
Flexibility means being able to respond to your body’s needs without feeling like you’ve failed when things don’t go perfectly. It involves understanding that recovery is non-linear and that small shifts or setbacks are simply part of the process. Embracing flexibility keeps you present, in tune with your body, and compassionate toward yourself.
For example:
- With food: Instead of feeling like you have to follow a strict meal plan, flexibility means listening to your body’s hunger cues and adjusting as needed. It’s okay if you eat more one day and less the next—your body knows what it needs.
- With exercise: Flexibility means recognising that movement should be about feeling good and taking care of your body, not about punishing yourself. If your body needs rest, that’s okay—you don’t have to push yourself to stick to a rigid exercise plan.
- In recovery: Flexibility allows you to navigate setbacks with grace, knowing that they’re part of the journey. It means letting go of the need for your recovery to be perfect and trusting that progress happens even when things don’t go as planned.
Adopting flexibility offers a middle ground between control and chaos, creating more stability and peace in your life.
Learning to Embrace Flexibility in the “Progress Over Perfection” Workbook
In the “Progress Over Perfection” workbook, you’ll explore ways to bring flexibility into your relationship with food, body image, and recovery.
Here’s what you’ll explore:
- Identifying rigid rules: You’ll begin by noticing where perfectionism creates rigid rules—whether around food, exercise, or recovery. This awareness is essential to understanding how these rules keep you stuck with eating disorder struggles.
- Challenging the need for control: After identifying these rigid rules, you’ll challenge the belief that you need to control everything. You’ll learn to release control and embrace flexibility in your daily life and recovery approach.
- Building a balanced mindset: The workbook guides you to develop a flexible, balanced approach to food, exercise, and self-care. This involves learning to trust your body, honour its needs, and release pressure for perfection.
By the end of this section, you’ll have tools to help you embrace flexibility, let go of rigid rules, and create more balance in your life.
Curious About How Flexibility Can Support Your Recovery?
Imagine the changes if you allowed yourself to be more flexible—letting go of perfectionism’s rigid rules and truly listening to your body’s needs. Flexibility isn’t about giving up control; it’s about creating balance, peace, and self-compassion. The “Progress Over Perfection” workbook is here to guide you on this journey, helping you break free from rigidity and embrace flexibility.
Ready to Embrace Flexibility?
Flexibility is key to finding balance and peace in your recovery. Order your copy of the “Progress Over Perfection” workbook today, and start building a more flexible, compassionate relationship with food, exercise, and yourself.
