Purpose Beyond Perfectionism...
Aug 19, 2025Subscribe today and never miss a thing!
When Life Demands Everything at Once
Have you ever found yourself in a season where life seems to be demanding everything from you at once? Perhaps you've stepped into a new role, taken on a major responsibility, or navigated a significant transition that has stretched you beyond what you thought possible.
One client shared recently: "I completely underestimated the complexities of the business we had taken on. I thought I would be able to learn progressively, but I've been doing six days of seven to eight-hour solid days just trying to keep up. I hit burnout and told my partner, 'I'm cooked. I can't feed myself. I can't talk to the kids. I can't problem-solve.'"
This experience reflects something profound about our growth journeys: sometimes the most intense periods of transformation aren't about healing past wounds, they're about stepping fully into new levels of responsibility and purpose that demand everything we have.
The Myth of Gradual Transition
Many of us carry an unconscious belief that major life changes should unfold gradually, allowing us time to adjust and learn at a comfortable pace. But what I've observed is that our most significant evolutions rarely happen this way.
When you commit to a new level of living, whether that's a new business, relationship, or personal endeavour, the universe often responds not by easing you in gently, but by presenting you with exactly what you need to become the person who can successfully inhabit that new reality.
As one client realised: "Every time you upgrade, life will balance you a challenge. The universe has said, 'Right, you want this huge business? You need to be able to cope with this huge business, so we're going to push you and you're going to learn really, really quickly.'"
This isn't punishment or bad luck. It's alignment, it’s the necessary intensity required to rapidly evolve you into who you need to become.
The Secret Freedom of Full Commitment
What's fascinating about these intense periods of growth is how they can actually free us from certain patterns that have held us back.
One client who was navigating an overwhelming business transition noticed something unexpected:
"It's pulled me away from things I thought I needed to do, and I haven't resisted. I've been demanding help when I'd usually feel bad about that."
This reveals something powerful: when we're fully engaged in meaningful purpose, we often naturally let go of the people-pleasing, perfectionism, and hypervigilance that previously consumed our energy. Our focus shifts from "Am I doing this right?" to "This is what needs to be done now."
The commitment to something bigger than ourselves can become the pathway to our own liberation.
Practice: The Purpose Alignment Check
When you're feeling overwhelmed by life's demands, try this simple embodiment exercise:
Step 1: Ground in Your Body Place both hands on your heart and take three deep breaths breathing your energy and essence consciously back into your body. Feel your body fully in this moment.
Step 2: Ask the Alignment Question With your hands still on your heart, ask yourself: "Is this overwhelming me because it's moving me toward my authentic purpose, or because I'm trying to meet everyone else's expectations?"
Step 3: Feel the Difference
- Purpose-driven overwhelm typically feels expansive in your chest, even when challenging
- Expectation-driven overwhelm usually feels contractive, tight or heavy
Step 4: Choose Your Response
- If it's purpose-driven: Breathe into the expansion and ask, "What support do I need to meet this growth?"
- If it's expectation-driven: Ask, "What can I release that isn't actually mine to carry?"
Step 5: Take One Aligned Action Whether that's asking for help, saying no to something or simply acknowledging that this intensity is serving your evolution.
Practice this check-in whenever you feel pulled in multiple directions. Sometimes the most overwhelming moments are actually invitations to step more fully into who you're becoming.
