I blog mainly because I love to write, but I do like to receive comments from my readers, and am especially happy when our interaction moves outside the blogging arena. I was therefore thrilled when Debbie Jordan Kravitz invited me to participate in her virtual book tour for Everything I Know About Perfectionism I Learned From My Breasts: Secrets and Solutions for Overpowering Perfectionism.

Debbie decided to write her book after a battle with breast cancer forced her to recognize and overcome her lifelong issues with perfectionism. However, rather than focusing on Debbie’s story, the book introduces us to nine other perfectionists who share the reasons for their perfectionism, the impact it has had on their lives, what inspired them to make changes, and their advice to others facing similar challenges. It was very interesting to read about their individual experiences and to recognize certain traits and behaviours that I’d seen in myself and others, not realizing at the time that they were symptoms of perfectionism.

One of the people Debbie interviewed for her book is Ariane Benefit, with whom I’ve worked on several projects, and whose Neat & Simple Living blog was one of the first I started reading. Because she shared a recording of her interview on her blog last year, I actually knew about the book long before I knew Debbie myself!

Not surprisingly, since Debbie is a professional organizer, the information in her book is presented in a very organized and highly readable format. Throughout each chapter, her message is reinforced and enhanced by checklists, tips, and motivational quotes, including this one, which I particularly like:

A man would do nothing if he waited until
he could do it so well that no one could find fault.

~ John Henry Newman, Roman Catholic cardinal and author

Perhaps most valuable are the lists of warning signs of serious issues which often underlie perfectionism and which require professional help to overcome, such as eating disorders, social anxiety disorder, and chronic disorganization.

Whether for your own personal development or to better understand people you know, Everything I Know About Perfectionism I Learned From My Breasts will be a worthwhile addition to your library. When you order your copy, enter the Donation code Strength, and Debbie will donate $2.00 to Breast Cancer Network of Strength.