upstream: the clench downstream: life challenges People-pleasing guards against anger Perfectionism guards "not enough" Procrastination guards fear of failure Subtle superiority guards being ordinary Appreciation blindness guards received joy Chronic burnout work and energy Resentment at home closest relationships Stalled creative work unshipped projects Shallow friendships connection Joyless success wins that don't land The inner critic self-attack loop

upstream: the clench

downstream: life challenges

Chronic burnoutwork and energy
Resentment at homeclosest relationships
Stalled creative workunshipped projects
Shallow friendshipsconnection
Joyless successwins that don't land
The inner criticself-attack loop

the emotion being avoided

Fear of being not enough (comes from the critical parent who taught you that you had to be productive to be loved)

the brilliant clench logic

“If I can be perfect all the time, no-one has to ever reject me… so I will be worthy of love and belonging.”