# Perfectionism Is Stealing Your Balance — Here's How to Take It Back (encore) [260]

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/joy-lab-navigate-depression-anxiety-stress-with-the-science-of-joy-3565440/perfectionism-is-stealing-your-balance-here-s-how-to-take-it-back-encore-260
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/joy-lab-navigate-depression-anxiety-stress-with-the-science-of-joy-3565440/perfectionism-is-stealing-your-balance-here-s-how-to-take-it-back-encore-260.md
Podcast: [Joy Lab |  navigate depression, anxiety, & stress with the science of joy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/joy-lab-navigate-depression-anxiety-stress-with-the-science-of-joy-3565440)
Published: 2026-04-15T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.joylab.coach/podcasts/joy-lab-podcast/episodes/2149189900
Audio file: https://pdrl.fm/f0b7bd/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/joylabpodcast/260._Perfectionism_Is_Stealing_Your_Balance__Heres_How_to_Take_It_Back_encore.mp3?dest-id=2775224
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Duration seconds: 1382

## Resource

We're in our new "month of renewal" format. We're essentially exploring this question throughout the month... what if growth required less effort? This is an encore episode that helps us answer this question. Reminder that we'll be back with new episodes May 1, 2026. In this episode of Joy Lab, Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek dismantle the idea that balance is a fixed destination you arrive at someday — once the laundry is done, the inbox is empty, and the kids are listening. Spoiler: that day is not coming. Instead, Henry and Aimee reframe equanimity as an active, embodied practice — more like balancing on one foot than standing rigidly still. Drawing on the metaphor of the Equinox, the rhythm of the ocean, and the very real signals your nervous system sends when you've overloaded your plate, they offer two practical, evidence-informed strategies: releasing perfectionism and cultivating outer stillness through the radical act of doing less. Whether you're recovering from burnout, drowning in self-help listicles, or just tired of waiting to feel balanced before you start living, this episode is your permission slip to recalibrate — right now, imperfectly, and with grace. About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek. The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab Program . Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible). Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app: Spotify | Apple | YouTube Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials: I…

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