Just do it, gently

Walking the fine line between ambition and overwhelm was the story of my life, and I used to err on the side of ambition.

One small step at a time. I rebuilt myself from the ground up. Those funky sports leggings fit me now, and the old runners are a testament to the time it’s taken to do it, one small step at a time. (Image copyright: J M Yeoman.)

You know that version of yourself you catch a glimpse of sometimes—the one who sets a big goal, gets laser-focused, and just does it?

What if that wasn’t a fleeting version of you, but your actual identity?

That’s been on my mind lately. As a highly sensitive person (HSP), I’ve often walked a fine line between ambition and overwhelm. I want to do big things, but I also need to protect my nervous system, my energy, and my sense of balance. And that’s where the “how” becomes everything.

Big goals need micro goals. This isn’t just productivity advice—it’s a nervous system survival strategy for people like us (in fact, it’s sensible and far better for everyone’s health, highly sensitive or not).

I learned this lesson the hard way. Years and years of feeling exhausted, burnt out, unwell, or being injured because my ambitions had me pushing, pushing, pushing, and never listening to my body.

Identity First, Then Action

The motivational speaker and business entrepreneur Dean Graziosi says, "You become the kind of person who…” That simple phrase changes everything. It shifts the question from "What do I want to do?" to "Who do I want to be?"

I’ve started asking myself:

• Am I the kind of person who cares for their health and shows up for their goals?

• Am I the kind of person who honours their sensitivity without using it as an excuse?

• Am I the kind of person who keeps showing up, even if it’s just a little at a time?

The answer to all of those has become yes, but only because I’ve been intentional about choosing it. It's about releasing the all-or-nothing mindset that dominated my way of being for so many years.

It’s not magic. It’s structure. Belief. Consistency. And, crucially, flexibility.

Belief is the Foundation

“If you believe you can, you will. If you believe you can’t…”—you won’t.

My dad used to say, "There’s no such thing as can’t," and that phrase stuck with me like a grounding mantra. It comes up often when I’m staring down the fear of failure or perfectionism. Because those things? They’re usually rooted in old beliefs—often ones we didn’t choose.

So, part of this journey for me is reframing my mindset. I’ve had to work on challenging the all-or-nothing thinking that whispers, "If it’s not perfect, it’s not worth doing." Instead, I hold onto progress, not perfection.

One of Dean’s quotes I love is "Small hinges swing big doors." That one reminds me that the tiniest effort today might open a huge opportunity tomorrow.

Micro Decisions, Macro Change

Big, wild, life-altering goals don’t happen all at once, especially not for those whose energy tanks quickly if we push too hard for too long.

So I break things down.

What’s the one thing I can do today that moves me closer?

What’s the micro decision that makes tomorrow easier?

Some days, that decision is “go for a walk.” (Actually, every day, I go for a walk and practice yoga first, because they’re my non-negotiable, self-care imperatives.) Other days, it’s “say no to that thing that drains me.” Sometimes it’s “do the hard thing first,” so the rest feels lighter—go on, eat that frog! (If you don’t know what that means, check out Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog.)

That’s the balance: honoring my sensitivity and staying committed to my goals.

Just Do It, Gently

The phrase “just do it” has always felt a little too intense for me—like I need to crush it, hustle harder, push through—yet it’s embedded in our hustle culture, so we’re expected to push on no matter what the cost.

It's the ultimate in all-or-nothing thinking, and it’s a fast route to burnout, particularly when you’re sensitive and your nervous system is consistently overloaded. Hang, everyone is suffering from all-or-nothing, boots-and-all, just do it burnout!

I’ve come to redefine what “just do it” means.

To me now, “just do it” means take the step. The next one. Not all of them. Not perfectly. Just the next. Even if it’s a tiny baby step.

It means:

• Choose belief over doubt.

• Choose progress over perfection.

• Choose to be the kind of person who shows up in small, quiet ways if that’s what’s right for my health first.

Because small hinges really do swing big doors. And the only way to get there is to just… gently, mindfully… do it. After all, a baby step is still a step, and while most toddlers will teeter on tiny legs, look where they go from there!

Over the past few years, I’ve reshaped my life, creating space and a lifestyle that suits my current identity. This happened through small, incremental steps and working out which beliefs to release and which new ones to adopt.

If you ask yourself, “I am the person who…” what answer will you have? What beliefs might be holding you back from becoming that identity, and what big goal will be achieved by shifting your identity and beliefs and taking each small step?

I wonder, how does all-or-nothing thinking get in the way of you becoming the person you want to be and achieving those big goals, one small step at a time?

I’m currently developing A Balanced Life, a programme for sensitive souls to claim their health and live a vibrant, balanced life while achieving their goals—no burnout required! If you’d like me as your transformation guide, reach out. I have limited free spaces available.