Letting Go of Perfectionism: Stop Striving and Start Living
Yesel Yoon. Sheldon, $18.99 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-1-3998-1731-8
Psychologist Yoon debuts with a nuanced exploration of perfectionism and its ill effects. Tracing the personality trait’s sociocultural roots, she notes that in immigrant cultures, children are often pressured to succeed academically to redeem their parents’ sacrifices. Capitalism also conveys the idea, according to Yoon, that “being enough” means accruing more money or success by whatever means necessary. Such constant striving can lead to addiction, mood disorders, people-pleasing, or feelings of “insecurity, low self-esteem, and low self-worth,” she writes. Tips for managing one’s perfectionism include redefining what counts as “good enough”; embracing imperfection; and approaching “self-growth and learning from a place of curiosity.” Those suggestions are smart and solid if nothing new; most valuable is the information Yoon provides on how cultural contexts fuel perfectionism, especially for members of immigrant and marginalized communities for whom it’s a matter of survival to “prove their place in the world.” The result is a wise assessment of the perils of an obsession with success. (Dec.)
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Reviewed on: 09/20/2024
Genre: Nonfiction