In her book "Bird by Bird," Anne Lamott reflects on how emotional wounds from our past can affect our present lives. She compares these wounds to physical cramps in our psychic muscles, which tighten around painful experiences such as childhood trauma and adult disappointments. This cramping serves as a defensive mechanism to safeguard us from further pain but has a downside—it prevents true healing and restricts our emotional freedom.

Lamott emphasizes that perfectionism is often a manifestation of these psychological cramps. Many individuals are unaware of the wounds they carry or the ways in which they've constricted their emotional responses. As a result, they may write and interact with the world in a constrained manner, missing out on the richness of life. By acknowledging these limitations, we can begin to move forward and engage with our experiences more authentically.