Perfectionism

Hi, I am a college freshman and since I was a little girl have wanted to be perfect for my parents. The pressure has gotten to be too much. I am forcing myself to get a 4.0, be newspaper editor, President of 3 clubs, secretary and treasurer of a club, Public Relations of a bunch of clubs, a Student Ambassador (give tours, STAR call and lunch host for students thinking of coming to my school and do mock trial. The pressure is getting to be too much and when I think of not being perfect I shake and cry. I got a B on a quiz and started crying for 3 hours. Do I need counseling?

Lexie, do you think you need counseling? Do you think it's agood thing to want to be perfect for your parents? Do you think it's healthy to cry for hours over a B?

I would like to know more about how you feel about your parents and your perfection. Do your parents push you to do all the things you do or do you do it of your own free will?

Why do you want to be perfect? What satisfaction do you get?

If it sounded like I was being sarcastic with my first few questions, I didn't mean for them to sound that way. I think it is very important to know how you feel about these things so I can empathize with you and know where you are coming from.

I have also had to deal with being perfect for my parents.

I would certainly recommend talking to someone.
I also believe being selfless and serving others is a blessed thing. Destroying yourself and running yourself into the ground because you or someone else places unrealistic expectations on you serves no one at all.
You should also consider just how perfect you would call any person besides yourself if they didn't care for their own emotional needs and happiness.
Don't try to be great, just be what you are and greatness will come in it's own due time.
My advice, pick one or two of those things, be better at them than anyone and let the other 90 things fall away, where they belong.