Perfectionism, And How To Make Yours Work For You

Today’s almonds have been activated by:

⏰ IN A RUSH?

Today’s 30-Second Summary

If you don’t have time to read the whole email today, here are some key takeaways:

• Despite their great marketing, yogurts aren’t very good sources of probiotics compared to other options

  • Sauerkraut and kimchi come out much better! Amongst others—see today’s video for more!

• Perfectionism is often considered a character flaw, and yes it can be harmful, but also it can be made to work for you (see today’s main feature for how)

• Getting access to therapy can be a challenge for many people

  • Today’s sponsor Talkspace offers accessible, affordable, therapy online… Via text, audio, or video, per your preference!

• GlyNAC supplementation benefits brain health and cognitive function in aging

Read on to learn about these things and more…

👀 WATCH AND LEARN

The Best Probiotic Food Is Definitely Not Yogurt

As it turns out, there are limited strains of microbes in yogurt, and most of them are killed at the stomach level—if they weren’t already killed in a pasteurization process.

Meanwhile, top-tier contender sauerkraut is a great source of probiotics, and also contains fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K1, vitamin K2, vitamin U, potassium, and more.

Kimchi is great too—it’s full of powerful superfoods, and it contains unique strains of friendly bacteria. It’s also high in vitamin C, vitamin K1, vitamin K2, potassium, and B vitamins.

Check out how these and other putative probiotics stand up to medical scrutiny:

Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

Sources cited include:

• Microbial community analysis of sauerkraut fermentation reveals a stable and rapidly established community

• Health benefits of kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables) as a probiotic food

🏆 MAIN FEATURE

Harness The Power Of Your Perfectionism

A lot of people see perfectionism as a problem—and it can be that!

We can use perfectionism as a would-be shield against our fear of failure, by putting things off until we’re better prepared (repeat forever, or at least until the deadliniest deadline that ever deadlined), or do things but really struggle to draw a line under them and check them off as “done” because we keep tweaking and improving and improving… With diminishing returns (forever). So, that’s not helpful.

But, if we’re mindful, we can also leverage our perfectionism to our benefit.

Great! How?

First we need to be able to discern the ways in which perfectionism can be bad or good for us. Or as it’s called in psychology, ways in which our perfectionism can be maladaptive or adaptive.

• Maladaptive: describing a behavioral adaptation to our environment—specifically, a reactive behavioral adaptation that is unhealthy and really is not a solution to the problem at hand

• Adaptive: describing a behavioral adaptation to our environment—specifically, a responsive behavioral adaptation that is healthy and helps us to thrive

So in the case of perfectionism, one example for each might be:

• Maladaptive: never taking up that new hobby, because you’re just going to suck at it anyway, and what’s the point if you’re not going to excel? You’re a perfectionist, and you don’t settle for anything less than excellence.

• Adaptive: researching the new hobby, learning the basics, and recognizing that even if the results are not immediately perfect, the learning process can be… Yes, even with mistakes along the way, for they too are part of learning! You’re a perfectionist, and you’re going to be the best possible student of your new hobby.

Did you catch the key there?

When it comes to approaching things we do in life—either because we want to or because we must—there are two kinds of mindset: goal-oriented, and task-oriented.

Broadly speaking, each has their merits, and as a general topic, it’s beyond the scope of today’s main feature. Here we’re looking at it in the context of perfectionism, and in that frame, there’s a clear qualitative difference:

• The goal-oriented perfectionist will be frustrated to the point of torment, at not immediately attaining the goal. Everything short of that will be a means to an end, at best. Not fun.

• The task-oriented perfectionist will take joy in going about the task in the best way possible, and optimizing their process as they go. The journey itself will be rewarding and a tangible product of their consistent perfectionism.

The good news is: you get to choose! You’re not stuck in a box.

If you’re thinking “I’m a perfectionist and I’m generally a goal-oriented person”, that’s fine. You’re just going to need to reframe your goals.

• Instead of: my goal is to be fluent in Arabic

  • …so you never speak it, because to err is human, all too human, and you’re a perfectionist, so you don’t want that!

• Let’s try: my goal is to study Arabic for at least 15 minutes per day, every day, without fail, covering at least some new material each time, no matter how small the increase

  • …and then you go and throw yourself into conversation way out of your depth, make mistakes, and get corrections, because that’s how you learn, and you’re a perfectionist, so you want that!

This goes for any field of expertise, of course.

• If you want to play the violin solo in Carnegie Hall, you have to pick up your violin and practice each day.

• If you want to be a world-renowned pastry chef, you have to make a consistent habit of baking.

• If you want to write a bestselling book, you have to show up at your keyboard.

Be perfect all you want, but be the perfect student.

And as your skills grow, maybe you’ll upgrade that to also being the perfect practitioner, and perhaps later still, the perfect teacher.

But just remember:

Perfection comes not from the end goal (that would be backwards thinking!) but from the process (which includes mistakes; they’re an important part of learning; embrace them and grow!), so perfect that first.

❤️ OUR SPONSORS MAKE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE

Talkspace: Mental Health Care… On Your Terms!

We've said it before and we'll say it again: mental health is just as important as physical health!

And yet, many of us struggle to access the care we need. That’s where Talkspace comes in:

They have a team of licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners, who will support you through whatever you're facing... and, with private therapy sessions offered through text, voice, or video, you can choose the method that works best for you.

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As the #1 virtual therapy provider brand, you can rest assured that you'll be in good hands, and Talkspace will provide you with the best care possible.

You can start your Talkspace journey today, and take control of your mental health on your own terms:

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🌏 AROUND THE WEB

What’s happening in the health world…

• Study identifies features of Long COVID neurological symptoms

• Music therapy can relieve suffering in people who live with chronic pain

• Reactivating dormant cells in the retina brings new hope for vision regeneration

• GlyNAC supplementation benefits brain health and cognitive function in aging

• The WHO says COVID emergency is over. So what does that mean?

More to come tomorrow!

📖 ONE-MINUTE BOOK REVIEW

Vegetable Gardening for Beginners - by Patricia Bohn

Gardens are places of relaxation, but what if it could be that and more? We all know that home-grown is best... But how?

Patricia Bohner takes us by the hand with a ground-up approach (so to speak) that assumes no prior gardening ability. Which, for some of us, is critical!

After an initial chapter covering the "why" of vegetable gardening (which most readers will know already, but it's inspiring), she looks at the most common barriers to vegetable gardening:

• Time

• Space

• Skill issues

• Landlord issues

• Not enough sun

(This reviewer would have liked to have an extra section: "lives in an ancient bog and the soil kills most things", but that is a little like "space". I should be using containers, with soil from elsewhere!)

Anyway, after covering how to overcome each of those problems, it's on to a chapter (of many sections) on "basic basics for beginners". After this, we now know what our plants need and how we're going to provide it, and what to do in what order. We're all set up and ready to go!

Now comes the fancy stuff. We're talking not just containers, but options of raised beds, vertical gardening, hydroponics, and more. And, importantly, what plants go well in which options—followed up with an extensive array of how-tos for all the most popular edible gardening options.

She finishes up with "not covered elsewhere" gardening tips, which even just alone would make the book a worthwhile read.

In short, if you've a desire to grow vegetables but haven't felt you've been able, this book will get you up and running faster than runner beans.

Get your copy of Vegetable Gardening For Beginners from Amazon today!

May your process be practically perfect in every way,

The 10almonds Team