Unmasking Perfectionism: The Hidden Link Between Stress and the Need to Be Perfect
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Is Your Perfectionism Really Just a Stress Response?
In this episode of The Empowered Educator Podcast, we uncover the hidden connection between perfectionism and your brain’s stress response system — especially for educators. Learn why perfectionism isn’t a personal flaw, but a learned survival strategy rooted in fear, fawn mode, and a nervous system trying to keep you safe.
You’ll discover:
- How perfectionism acts as protective armor against failure, rejection, and shame
- The neuroscience of stress: how your amygdala triggers fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses
- Why perfectionism often shows up in “fawn mode” — over-accommodating, over-achieving, and over-functioning
- How school systems unintentionally reinforce perfectionism through rewards and rankings
- Why students need regulated, not perfect, teachers — and how authenticity creates deeper classroom impact
- Tools and practices to rewire your brain for calm, confidence, and compassion
- How self-compassion builds new neural pathways and helps you reclaim your joy
🎁 Explore soul-nourishing, educator-centered gifts and resources at empowerededucator.com/school-store — because the most generous thing you can do for your students is take care of you.
Stay empowered,
Jen
Let’s keep the conversation going! Find me at:
empowerededucator.com/resources
Instagram: @jenrafferty_
Facebook: Empowered Educator Faculty Room
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