21. Perfectionism Is a Trauma Response Not Your Personality: Why “Doing More” Feels Safer Than Rest
Wed Dec 31 2025
Perfectionism isn’t a personality trait.
It’s not discipline.
And it’s definitely not “just wanting to be better.”
It’s your nervous system hijacking your brain and convincing you that if you stop optimizing, fixing, tracking, or doing more… something bad will happen.
In this episode, we’re unpacking why perfectionism shows up so loudly in health and healing journeys: why rest feels unsafe, why “doing enough” never lands, and why you feel like you should always be taking action to earn your progress.
We’ll talk about:
How perfectionism is rooted in survival, not motivationWhy your body interprets slowing down as dangerThe subtle ways hustle disguises itself as “self-care”And what actually creates sustainable healing instead of burnout cyclesIf you’ve ever felt like you’re failing your body unless you’re doing everything perfectly, this episode is for you.
✨ Capacity isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about feeling safe enough to receive.
If this episode hits, you’re going to love Capacity Magic: a gentle, nervous-system-led reset to help you stop forcing, stop spiraling, and start building health from a place of safety and enoughness.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE
Work With Me:
https://mailchi.mp/chloepufftraining/offers
Connect with me on social media:
Instagram: @chloepufftraining & @riseradiopod
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Perfectionism isn’t a personality trait. It’s not discipline. And it’s definitely not “just wanting to be better.” It’s your nervous system hijacking your brain and convincing you that if you stop optimizing, fixing, tracking, or doing more… something bad will happen. In this episode, we’re unpacking why perfectionism shows up so loudly in health and healing journeys: why rest feels unsafe, why “doing enough” never lands, and why you feel like you should always be taking action to earn your progress. We’ll talk about: How perfectionism is rooted in survival, not motivationWhy your body interprets slowing down as dangerThe subtle ways hustle disguises itself as “self-care”And what actually creates sustainable healing instead of burnout cyclesIf you’ve ever felt like you’re failing your body unless you’re doing everything perfectly, this episode is for you. ✨ Capacity isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about feeling safe enough to receive. If this episode hits, you’re going to love Capacity Magic: a gentle, nervous-system-led reset to help you stop forcing, stop spiraling, and start building health from a place of safety and enoughness. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE Work With Me: https://mailchi.mp/chloepufftraining/offers Connect with me on social media: Instagram: @chloepufftraining & @riseradiopod