Are you resisting reality and causing yourself stress?
Do you often wish things were different than what they are? Wishing a gum tree was a pear tree, won’t make it bear fruit. Sure the sun should shine more, people ought to be more caring, stress shouldn’t be a part of life and you should have more holidays.
A thought of “This shouldn’t be happening,” can make you frustrated and annoyed. It can cause you to feel frustration, anxiety, fear and doubt. Refusing to accept people, places and things takes unnecessary energy. Discouraging things happen – it’s a part of life. Sometimes you even resist the positive changes because it’s unfamiliar.
Expecting and comparing your work with an idealized standard that doesn’t exist leads to a feeling of dissatisfaction. Perfection inhibits your ability to progress and manage life and work. It slows down your process when you are facing challenges. It can make you feel anxious, guilty and inferior. Spending too much time on tasks and avoiding tasks because you can’t do them perfectly, causes underachievement and affects work-life balance. Perfection leads to paralysis. How has fear of not doing something perfectly kept you stuck?
In order to have work-life balance it is essential to state your limits in work and relationships so you don’t burn out. Being unable to say no can push you to stress, resentment, overwhelm, irritability, and frustration.
Don’t believe everything you hear – even in your own mind. 
Goals give you direction and your values determine how you want travel on the journey of life to reach your goals. If you value beauty – you will take the scenic route in life. If you value adventure – you may choose a 4WD and take the road less traveled If you value efficiency – you may journey by plane working with your laptop while you travel. Everybody has their own values and values can change. It is helpful to ascertain your values every three months.