Overcoming Procrastination: Understanding Trauma and Self-Beliefs

Introduction

• Speaker: Elsa Smith, Trauma-Informed Life Strategist
• Topic: Eradicate procrastination by understanding its deeper causes linked to trauma.
• Personal Anecdote: Elsa Smith shares her lifelong struggle with procrastination and negative self-talk.

Procrastination as a Coping Mechanism

• Procrastination is often a way to cope with stress, negative beliefs, and fear of judgment.
• It serves as a survival mechanism of the brain, avoiding tasks to prevent perceived pain or failure.

Types of Trauma

• Big T Trauma: Major life events (war, disasters, violence) leading to significant emotional distress.
• Little t Trauma: Nonviolent stressors (bullying, pet loss) that still cause emotional distress.
• Tiny t Trauma: Unmet childhood needs creating negative self-beliefs (e.g., needing to perform perfectly).

Brain's Response to Trauma

• Right Brain: Primal, survival-focused, takes over during stress.
• Left Brain: Logical, involved in higher-level decision-making, sidelined during stress.
• Procrastination occurs when the right brain engages to avoid stress, sidelining logical processes.

Overcoming Procrastination

• Fear as a Barrier: Fear of failure, judgment, or success can cause reliance on procrastination.
• Imagining a Better Future: Envision a future where you are prepared and can handle stress effectively.

Case Studies

• Franchesca: Struggled with punctuality at work due to a clash between childhood expectations and her identity as a free spirit.
• Ammani: Delayed a home project due to a need for perfect preparation, stemming from childhood academic pressures.

Steps to Overcome Procrastination

• Immediate Techniques: Use physical techniques to calm the nervous system (e.g., vagus nerve activation).
• Long-term Solutions: Rewire negative self-beliefs through understanding and addressing past traumas.

Practical Exercise

• Calming Technique:
  • Rub hands together.
  • Place hands on cheeks and neck, apply pressure, and breathe deeply.
  • Cross arms, squeeze shoulders, and breathe.
• This exercise helps bypass survival coping mechanisms and signals safety to the brain.

Conclusion

• Understanding and addressing Tiny t trauma can help eradicate procrastination and unlock potential.
• Encouragement to use self-awareness and relaxation techniques to overcome barriers and achieve higher success.

Final Thoughts

• Personal rewards from overcoming procrastination include self-love and greater life satisfaction.
• Call to action for individuals to unleash their potential and live more fulfilled lives.