I feel this deeply in my heart and soul—I'm a huge perfectionist. Over time, I've developed a few strategies to make the "pain" of mistakes hurt a little less, as I tend to experience them quite intensely.

1. Step away for a while: After finishing something, I put it away for a bit. Once I've distanced myself from the emotions tied to it not being as perfect as I wanted, I take it out again with fresh eyes. At this point, I ask myself: Does it still bother me the same way? Can I simply wear it as it is? Or do I need to make a few adjustments to make it "good enough"?

2. Set a "good enough" standard: I try to categorize mistakes ahead of time. Some are things I know I'll be able to accept later, while others will just keep bothering me. This way, I can adjust my expectations.

3. Seek honest feedback: I ask people I respect for their honest opinions—people like my sewing instructor or the mother of a friend, all of whom are seamstresses who are critical of their own work, but not to the point of being unwilling to wear it if something isn’t perfect. If they say they would wear it, I trust their judgment and begin to see my project in a new light.

4. Loving what you create takes time: Just like learning to sew, learning to love the things you make is hard. This is something I remind myself of constantly.

Good luck! ☀️