How Painting My Kids’ Rooms Helped Me Let Go of Perfectionism as a Mom

Have you ever asked for a really strange birthday gift?

I have.

Several years ago, when my kids were still little, all I wanted for my birthday was two uninterrupted days to paint their bedrooms. No spa day. No fancy dinner. No celebration out of the house. Just me, some paint, and quiet.

As a stay-at-home mom, uninterrupted time to complete a creative project felt like pure luxury.

I had a vision: cheerful yellow walls for my daughter, calming blue for my son. Now, to be clear—I am not a painter. My experience topped out at helping college roommates paint apartments years earlier. But I knew enough to try, and more than anything, I wanted the freedom to create something with my own hands.

Before I ever dipped a brush into paint, I made one decision that changed everything about how that weekend went:

I gave myself permission to make mistakes.

I literally said it out loud:
“Krista, you’re going to make mistakes. And that’s okay.”

As a recovering perfectionist, I knew this would be important. I knew myself well enough to know that if I expected those rooms to turn out perfectly, I would put so much pressure on myself that I’d end up making even more mistakes than otherwise. The fear of messing up has a way of doing that to us.

So instead, I chose freedom over perfection.

What Happens When We Release the Pressure

My sweet husband took the kids for two full days, and I painted in uninterrupted quiet, which was pure bliss. I moved slowly. I let myself enjoy the process.

And yes—there were mistakes. Crooked lines. Uneven edges. Little imperfections here and there.

But ya know? It wasn’t that bad!

Because I wasn’t tense…
Because I wasn’t afraid…
Because I wasn’t trying to get it right…

I was actually pretty impressed with the job I did.

Those bedrooms turned out fun and very memorable. The paint jobs still look good, and I’ll never forget those 2 days I had all to myself to focus on a fun project just for me (well, also for my kids, I guess). And I’ll never forget the lessons I learned when we allow ourselves to be who we are, without fighting ourselves every step of the way.

Perfectionism Sets Us Up for Failure

When we expect perfection and don’t allow for mistakes, we set ourselves up for failure. In fact, I truly believe we end up making more mistakes when we’re afraid of them.

But when we let ourselves move forward without fear—when we allow the mess, the mistakes, the imperfections—we get more done, and we get it done more quickly.

And maybe most importantly?

We actually enjoy our lives while we’re doing it.

This lesson doesn’t just apply to painting walls. It changes everything about motherhood.

No Perfect Mother Has Ever Existed

As moms, we care deeply. We want to do everything right. We want to raise our kids well, keep the house running, meet everyone’s needs, and somehow not mess anything up along the way.

But here’s the truth we rarely say out loud:

There has never been a perfect mother.

And yet… humanity is doing just fine.

So clearly, perfection was never the requirement.

Connection is. Love is. Presence is. Growth is.

When we release the pressure to be flawless, we make room for joy, creativity, and confidence. We show up more fully. We model resilience for our children. We teach them—by example—that mistakes aren’t something to fear, but something to learn from.

What Our Kids Learn When We Let Ourselves Be Human

When our children see us keep going even when things aren’t perfect, they learn courage. They learn flexibility. They learn that progress matters more than getting everything right.

They learn how to be gentle with themselves.

And honestly? That might be one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

An Invitation for You

If you’ve been holding yourself to impossible standards…
If you’ve been afraid to start because you might mess it up…
If perfectionism has been quietly draining the joy from your days…

I want to invite you to try something different.

Try expecting mistakes.
Try welcoming imperfection.
Try saying, “This doesn’t have to be perfect for it to be meaningful.”

You might be surprised by how much lighter everything feels.

You’re doing better than you think. And your beautifully imperfect journey is more than enough.

And who knows—maybe your next breakthrough moment will come with a paintbrush in hand.

If you want to watch this story in video form, check it out HERE!

And explore more resources for moms and effortlessness at my website: www.momssimplythriving.com.