There is a lot of external pressure for people to project an image of perfection these days. There are Instagram influencers whose job is to pretend they live in a perfect house with beautifully behaved children and a spouse who looks great in every photograph. Many also feel pressured to present a curated image of their families when posting to Facebook or Instagram. Some also an internal pressure to be perfect that comes from being raised with unhealthy and unrealistic expectations. Punthea Van Terheyden, a writer for Better Homes and Gardens, was consumed by her desire for the perfect home and obsessed with tidying and decluttering. But she was relieved of this insatiable drive after hearing life-changing advice from Dr. Meg Arroll. Dr. Aroll is a psychologist and the author of “Tiny Traumas: When You Don’t Know What’s Wrong But Nothing Feels Right.” Many think keeping a clean and organized home makes their lives easier. However, when this is driven by perfectionism, it can make people more anxious than if they left the occasional crumb on the kitchen island or had a pile of laundry in the living room. “Perfectionism doesn't make life perfect. It leads to anxiety, low-mood burnout syndrome, and a reduced quality of life,” Dr. Arroll says, according to Better Homes and Gardens. The realization is strangely paradoxical. A cluttered home makes us anxious, but having a perfectly tidy house can, too. The psychologist adds that perfectionists should examine the causes of their behavior because it may be driven by childhood trauma. “It's important to uncover the psychological drivers of housekeeping perfectionism, such as growing up in a home where there was criticism rather than positive feedback, conditional instead of unconditional love, as well as unrealistic societal norms,” she said. Dr. Arroll believes the best way for perfectionists to recover from unhealthy habits is to reframe how they approach household chores or entertaining friends and family. She says we should trade perfectionism for a more positive trait: excellence. What's the difference between perfectionism and excellence? Their motivations are different. “Perfectionism is often driven by fear of failure, a desire for approval, or an obsession with flawless outcomes. It’s rooted in avoiding mistakes rather than pursuing growth,” Dr. Arroll writes in a Facebook post. “Excellence, on the other hand, is motivated by a desire to achieve one’s personal best, to continuously improve, and to deliver high-quality work. It’s about striving for the highest standards while embracing the learning process.” The outlooks also foster different attitudes towards growth. Perfectionism focuses on the pursuit of the unattainable. Excellence embraces progress over perfection and instills a growth mindset that is ultimately more resilient. Sometimes, the best advice we can hear is counterintuitive because it challenges how we see the world, opening us up to real change. Dr. Arroll gives perfectionists some good food for thought by sharing the hard truth that pushing for unobtainable goals can cause us more pain than perfection solves. Ultimately, happiness comes when we stop competing against people pretending to be perfect in the external world or trying to please those we couldn’t in our youth. Instead, we take on the challenge of becoming the best version of ourselves.

According to an April 2024 Gallup poll, 54% of Americans identify as part of the middle class, with 39% identifying as "middle class" and 15% identifying as "upper-middle class." That percentage has held fairly steady for years, but for many, what it feels like to be a middle class American has shifted. Notably, inflation caused by the pandemic has hit middle class families hard, with incomes not keeping up with cost-of-living increases. Housing costs have skyrocketed in many areas of the country, mortgage interest rates have risen to levels not seen since the pre-Obama era and grocery bills have increased significantly. One government study found that cost of living has increased between around $800 and $1,300 a month depending on the state since 2021, putting a squeeze on everyone, including the middle class.One woman shared that her family is just getting by and asked other people who identify as middle class to "chime in" with what they have in their savings account. "I swear, every paycheck I am putting money into my savings, but needing to transfer it back within a few days," shared @abbyy..rosee on TikTok. "My registration is due. My husband's registration is due. He needed two new tires, even though they had a warranty. That's $300. My oldest needs braces, he needs a palate expander, that's $120 a month. Not to mention groceries are $200 more a week. Forget about feeding your family great ingredients because who has $500 a week to spend on perfect ingredients to feed your family?" @abbyy..rosee somethings gotta give #savings #middleclass #relatable She explained that her husband makes enough money that they should be able to live comfortably, and that she quit her job because the cost of daycare was more than she was making."At some point, something has to give," she said. "What is going on? How do I save money?" People in the comments chimed in with their savings account totals and it was quite eye-opening. Many people shared that they have $0 saved. "We make the most money we ever have and have zero savings. We live paycheck to paycheck and every month I don’t know how we get by.""I think the middle class is 1 personal disaster away from bankruptcy.""Y’all got savings accounts?!?! ?""I used to freak out if I had under $10k in savings, now I’m happy when I have over $150. ?""We make almost 100,000 a year with no savings!!!! It's always something!!""I'm lucky if we have $500-$1K for an emergency. every single time we start saving something happens. the vet, the cars, the kids... something.""Savings account? I transfer money each paycheck but always end up needing to transfer it back. My husband makes great money too but we are scraping by.""$803 but we have to pay a $750 deductible this week b/c my Husband hit a deer soooo… back at it ? It’s exhausting. Constantly draining it, refilling it, transferring."Some people shared that they do have some savings, but several said it was because they'd had an inheritance or other chunk of money come their way. Many people shared that their savings has dwindled as increased costs have taken their toll. Some people gave lifestyle advice to save money, but most agreed that just the basics have gotten so expensive it's harder to make ends meet much less put extra into savings.Thankfully, the inflation issue appears to be waning, but even just plateauing at their current financial reality isn't ideal for many American families. Middle class is supposed to be a comfortable place to be—not rich, but well enough off to feel secure. That's not how many middle class folks feel, though. Most Americans don't have anything close to the amount of money saved that is recommended across the age spectrum, but at least hearing that others are in the same boat is somewhat comforting. It can be vulnerable to put your financial reality out there, but it's helpful to hear what other people are doing and dealing with so we all feel less alone when we're struggling. Perhaps if people were more open about money, we'd all be able to help one another find ways to improve our financial situations rather than lamenting our empty savings accounts and wondering how to change it.This article originally appeared last year.

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by Cassie B., Natural News: President Trump’s administration is dismantling globalist agendas, withdrawing from the WHO and Paris Climate Accord to prioritize U.S. sovereignty. The WEF’s “Great Reset” faces unprecedented resistance as Trump challenges centralized global governance. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the WHO, citing inefficiency and lack of accountability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive […]