Updated: Dec. 20, 2015
Originally Published: July 3, 2015
Living a life of constant goodness was beginning to wear me down. I knew I was setting myself up for a breakdown—not by making questionable choices, but by being too predictably virtuous. The pressure of always being the “good girl” became suffocating.
As I navigated my childhood, I found that being commendable wasn’t enough to stand out anymore. I was just part of the crowd. While my peers who often found themselves in trouble were celebrated for trivial achievements—“You stayed in your seat today, well done!”—I had always been the model of compliance. “Staying in my seat?” I thought. “I’ve been doing that for years!”
When I reached middle school, I had an extra credit piece published in a national children’s magazine. Yet, the Eighth Grade Writing Award went to Alex H., a boy who merely enjoyed writing. The school seemed to say, “Oh, you’ve always been good at this.” In other words, my accomplishments were just expected, blending into the mundane sound of everyday life. I realized that if I wanted to stand out, I had to try something different. So, I decided it was time to shake things up a bit.
Now, let me clarify: I wasn’t about to dive into drugs. My laissez-faire parents had already made it clear that I could experiment with any substance as long as I did it in their presence. So, I needed a new plan to be “bad.”
Once I entered high school, I was surrounded by a sea of other well-behaved students. I faced a choice: I could either strive to outshine everyone else by being even more perfect, or choose to be slightly less good. The former meant hours of community service and involvement in clubs whose names only served to decorate college applications. The latter felt like a challenge. I accepted it without hesitation.
One evening in ninth grade, I neglected to do my English assignment. I simply fell asleep before finishing an act of Hamlet. The next day, when homework was due, I pleaded with my very conscientious friend, Miranda, to let me borrow hers. I could see her internal struggle—did being good mean helping a friend or adhering to the rules? She chose to help me, and I hastily paraphrased her work just in time to hand it in.
Imagine my shock when the assignments were graded, and mine received a higher mark than hers. Even in my moment of rebellion, I still emerged victorious. It was a strange revelation to succeed at something I knew was wrong—cheating—and not getting caught. Sure, I felt a fleeting thrill, but it didn’t bring the satisfaction I anticipated. There were always things I would struggle with, like physics or returning phone calls, but those flaws didn’t define me; they merely added some quirks to the narrative of my life.
Now, as I raise my own overachieving daughter, I’ll encourage her to reach for her best. But I’ll also teach her that it’s acceptable to be just okay sometimes. If she feels the urge to push boundaries—while ensuring no one gets hurt—she should explore a little mischief. Just be exceptionally good at it.
This blog is a part of our journey, just like exploring options for home insemination. For those interested, check out this insightful post about the BabyMaker at Home Insemination Kit. You can also explore CryoBaby at Home Insemination Kit, which offers valuable resources. For more detailed information on intrauterine insemination, visit Cleveland Clinic’s guide.
In summary, embracing the need to break away from the confines of perfection can be liberating. It’s important to strike a balance between striving for excellence and allowing room for imperfection.
Keyphrase: Good Girl Gone Bad
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