Like the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) in the US, Canada's National Eating Disorders Information Centre (NEDIC) supports and promotes a variety of country-wide initiatives to inform the public and ignite hope within our communities . And, like NEDAwareness Week in the States, Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW)  in Canada is marked with educational workshops and conferences, special fundraising events (yoga, poetry, art, tea, purple wristband campaign etc.), and lots of social media activity. 

This year, EDAW took place in Canada from Februray 2nd – 8th. February is a crucial time for eating disorders awareness campaigns, considering that social media feeds in January  were littered with New Year’s resolution posts about detoxing and weight loss. 

I became involved with NEDIC two years ago as their social media editor before transitioning into the role of outreach workshop facilitator and guest blogger.  Through my volunteering work with NEDIC, I have the rewarding job of educating various audiences about body image, self-esteem, and eating disorders. This year, in honor of eating disorders awareness and in opposition to the weight loss industry the only thing I'm shedding is perfectionism. 

I was inspired to break free from perfectionism by the work of shame researcher Dr. Brené Brown, who you may know from a wildly popular Ted Talk on “The Power of Vulnerability.”  I think it's important to share her insights because they've led me to a better understanding of myself and my motivations. It's heavy stuff but if you've ever felt anxious, overwhelmed, or a bit lost in life, I think it's worth the ride. 

Dr. Brown centers her work on the thesis that happiness stems from connection and belonging - and when we don't allow our authentic selves to be seen (instead, trying to be who we are 'supposed' to be), it blocks us from connecting with others.  Only when you are truly yourself can you belong, otherwise you are merely fitting in as someone you have carefully constructed.  As a survivor of an eating disorder, I can tell you that feelings of shame, perfectionism, and 'never good enough' were the biggest drivers in my illness.  Whether I was trying to fit in with society's ideals of the perfect woman, daughter, and friend, or trying to fit into a smaller size - I was entrenched in the pursuit of perfection because I never saw the real me as worthy enough.  

Though perfectionism sometimes feels like a defense from all the 'bad' stuff in life, the problem is that you cannot selectively numb emotions.  When you try to protect yourself from the bad, you also block out the good and end up feeling alienated from the world.  Dr. Brown explains that U.S. adults today are the most in-debt, obese, addicted, and medicated in history.  Could this be because we fear that our true selves aren't good enough?  Thus, we seek harmful outlets to numb the pain of our self-perceived shortcomings?  That was the case for me, which is why these reflections on perfectionism resonated with me so deeply. So, now, I'm going to take active steps to embrace imperfection.

When undergoing a paradigm shift, it's obvious that the changes won't come overnight; it requires dedication and practice.  Knowing that I can't suddenly feel comfortable just as I am, I must begin with small steps.   The power of practicing small steps gave me the confidence to do it again and in a subsequently larger scope. At first, I was terrified of the unknown consequences of my new behaviors but once I dipped my toes in the water, I realized two things 1) "Hey, that wasn't so bad!" and 2) "It actually felt pretty good, too!"

While I encourage you   methods of practicing imperfection that work best for you, I can share some of the ways I started to let down my shield.  One of my biggest challenges is to literally bare it all and show you a rare sight: my makeup-free face.

  I'm usually seen rushing to the office with my head down, afraid that people will see me before I can apply my signature eyeliner and bright lipstick; but maybe now that I’ve shared it online, I can walk a little taller in the mornings unafraid to be seen.   Dr. Brown describes courage as the ability to speak one's heart, so I'm also revealing myself by sharing some of my creative endeavors.   I decided to write a poem and perform it live onstage (eek!) for an event NEDIC had for EDAW.  After all, what is more vulnerable than unveiling a creative piece to perfect strangers and potentially be the target of ridicule? 

I am excited about sharing my vulnerability with people around the world and taking a step back from perfectionism this eating disorders awareness week., I hope that you will also take this opportunity to add a little happiness and authenticity to your life.

Priyanka Parshad is a financial analyst and writer from Toronto, ON who started volunteering with Canada's National Eating Disorders Information Centre (NEDIC) after overcoming her own personal struggle with an eating disorder.  Aside from her work with NEDIC, she also enjoys (very slowly) completing long distance races, cooking up vegetarian delights, practicing her Français, and traveling often to her favourite places like Paris and California. To read more from Priyanka, visit her site "Reflections on the Mind & Body" (www.EDawareness.org).