Habits Holding You Back from a More Fulfilling Life (Part 1)
As an expert psychologist and life coach, I often counsel individuals who are struggling with feeling fulfilled in life. They may want change, but they’re unsure where to begin. They may have goals, dreams, and good intentions, but certain habits keep getting in the way.
Below is some life coaching advice we can all consider to help improve our overall outlook and begin moving forward. If you’re looking for a life coach in Orange County, these are two habits worth looking at first.
Stop putting things off
Procrastination often occurs when you have a task you do not want to complete or when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Procrastinating is not only unhealthy, but it also causes more stress.
When you keep putting something off, the task often feels bigger in your mind. You may think about it over and over, feel guilty for not doing it, and still avoid getting started. This can leave you feeling frustrated, anxious, and disappointed in yourself.
If you’ve been wondering how to stop procrastinating, begin by making the task smaller.
When facing an overwhelming task, take a few minutes to break it down into mini tasks. In life coaching, we often talk about tackling small steps at a time. For example, if cleaning your entire home feels overwhelming, don’t clean it all at once. Break it down into mini tasks to make it more manageable.
Perhaps work on the kitchen on Monday. Vacuum on Tuesday. Clean the bathrooms on Wednesday. Organize one closet on Thursday. Fold laundry on Friday.
Mini tasks are much easier to tackle than one big task that seems large and overwhelming. They also help you build momentum. Once you finish one small step, it becomes easier to take the next one.
The American Psychological Association offers additional insight into why people procrastinate and how avoiding tasks can create more stress over time.
Accept that you will never be perfect
Perfection is one of the culprits that leads to procrastination.
If you feel like you need to complete a task perfectly, you may never want to start it in the first place. You may wait until you have more time, more energy, more confidence, or better circumstances. But waiting for everything to feel perfect can keep you from taking action at all.
No one is perfect.
Instead of trying to be perfect, a good life coach will encourage you to simply strive for excellence. Excellence allows room for growth. Perfection does not. Excellence helps you take action, learn, adjust, and keep moving forward. Perfection keeps you stuck trying to avoid mistakes.
If you want to know how to overcome perfectionism, start by asking yourself one question: What’s one step I can take even if it isn’t perfect?
You don’t have to finish everything today. You don’t have to do it flawlessly. You only need to begin.
Start with one small change
Feeling fulfilled does not come from waiting until life feels perfect. It often comes from taking small, consistent steps toward the life you want to create.
Procrastination and perfectionism can make your goals feel farther away than they really are. When you break large tasks into smaller steps and release the need to do everything perfectly, you give yourself permission to move forward.
Part two of this article will cover more life coaching tips to help you live life to the fullest. You can read it here: Habits to Break If You Want to Feel More Fulfilled (Part 2).
Work with a life coach who understands psychology
If you’re considering a life coach, I welcome the opportunity to speak with you.
I draw upon my many years of experience as a psychologist and psychology expert to help my life coaching clients set and achieve their life goals. Together, we can look at what may be holding you back, create a plan of change, and help you take practical steps toward a more fulfilling life.
