The Perfectionism Trap: 3 Ways to Pivot with Intention

🌟 New Episode Alert! 🎙️ Are you trapped by perfectionism, self-doubt, or constant comparison? This week, we dive into 3 powerful ways to silence negativity and make positive shifts in perspective. Join the #SilenceTheNegativity​Challeng​e and let's pivot together! 💪✨
#Perfectionism #SelfGrowth #PositiveChange #MindsetShift #Podcast

Transcript

Welcome to the The Positive Growth Doctor Podcast®! I am your host, Dr. Christina Wilson. 

You might feel like you are on a never-ending escalator. You know, the one that you are supposed to get off of but never do because you don’t meet your goal of where you think you should be. 

Ugh…it’s exhausting. I am talking about the expectations you set for yourself. 

In this episode, we explore how high-achieving women get stuck in the perfectionism trap. It’s all about breaking free from self-doubt and comparison. I share 3 actionable strategies to silence negativity and pivot towards a more positive mindset.

Find the full transcript for this episode on your favorite podcast app. 

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Perfectionism is problematic for high achieving women

It can be exhausting just trying to meet a goal you set for yourself when your expectations are unreachable. 

The expectations you set for yourself matter. So where do they really come from?

When you come from a place of scarcity early on, your beliefs about the world are formulated based on this. 

I’m talking about scarcity vs abundance. 

Wow, as I am talking about this, it conjures something deep within me. It is a place that I haven’t been in some time, and thinking about it doesn’t feel good. 

That is emotion, and it is fleeting. However, the feelings surrounding it matter in that they guide your trajectory. 

You are going to have those emotions that take you back to a place. But when you do, make it brief. Don’t stay there.   

Hear me when I say that emotions are brief and fleeting. 

It is interesting how a triggered memory is manifested by a construct brought to the mind. But you don’t have to stay there, and I don’t. 

I catch it and throw it out. I’m not going back there. 

That is where agency comes in. With higher agency, you build confidence and self-worth. You set an intention that serves you. Ahh, it is a beautiful thing!

When you become agentic, you embrace free-will… and use it! As a result, you choose growth. 

I am going to say something that might sting, but staying stuck is a choice. You have so much more power than you ever imagined. 

I am here to say, take back that power! Use your choice wisely. 

THAT is the difference between a growth and a fixed mindset.

The Perfectionism Trap is Ultimately a Dead End for High-Achieving Women

Perfectionism sounds like you are striving to be the very best, but it is not what you think.

Having higher expectations is fine as long as they aren’t so high that you cannot possibly meet them. 

High expectations condition us to hold onto things. When we don’t meet high expectations, we increase stress and anxiety. 

We have had enough anxiety in this life. 

Remember, we are not perfect beings. There are a few things you can do when you catch yourself in the perfection trap. 

When you start to fall into that trap, you will know it because it is all too familiar. It doesn’t feel good because the self-doubt starts to set it along with the comparison. 

1. You must first identify it. Take responsibility for it. That is your next action of integrity. This will help you to move away from it. Remember it is a choice. The only other option is to stay in it and ruminate. Those negative feelings and thought loops never feel good. So, make a choice that serves you and do what is right by you. 
2. When you catch it, you might briefly journal it. I know that when I talk to someone like a coach just exploring it verbally adds clarity. A good coach asks powerful questions to facilitate the process and they walk with you in the process. That is a great way to get to a positive outcome. Journaling is a great way to process emotions and create change for yourself. 
3. Another way to move forward is to set intention for your future. Remind yourself of what you want. When you start to get off course due to comparison and perfectionism, don’t punish yourself for it. This is a common experience. You are not alone. 

Also, that is a sure fire way to get stuck in the feelings surrounding it. Refuse to do that. Tell yourself NO and pivot! When you are experiencing strong emotions and feelings around it, try some breath work to clear your mind and get the oxygen to your brain while bringing yourself back to homeostasis. 

I have embedded somatic coaching strategies in my coaching programs for that reason. 

I hope this has helped! Don’t forget to grab your copy of the Confidence Workbook NOW! https://thepositivegrowthdoctor.com/confidenceworkbook

Let's meet up again next week for another episode.