"Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you insane your whole life." – Anne Lamott

Trying to be perfect affects many areas of our lives: our appearance, parenting skills, weight, job performance, relationship-building ability, and on and on. Lamott seems to think perfectionism will drive you nuts and keep you there -- so why pursue it?

Be kind to yourself. If you aren't, who will be?

The two latest articles on the Body Image at Bella are:
Body Image & Beauty Quotations
A collection of quotes about beauty and body image – including sayings about perfectionism, life, charm, and being happy.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art29293.asp

Body Dysmorphic Disorder
How do you know if you have Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or you're simply aware of all aspects of your body - good and bad?
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art29498.asp

To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Body Image located here -
http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=174

Enjoy June as flowers and gardens blossom!
Take care,
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, Body Image Editor
http://bodyimage.bellaonline.com