Why is it so hard to get started, stay regulated, or slow yourself down in the moment?

In this episode, Dr. Roxy Riefkohl-Cook and Dr. Stephanie Ellis focus on three executive functioning skills that shape everyday behavior: activation, emotional regulation, and behavioral self control. Together, they explore why starting tasks can feel so difficult, how emotions can take up more space than we expect, and what happens when reactions move faster than intention.

The conversation looks at common patterns like procrastination, urgency driven motivation, overwhelm, impulsive responses, and difficulty pausing before acting. You will hear why both self criticism and self indulgence tend to make these struggles worse, and how responsibility without shame creates more room for change.

Practical strategies include aligning tasks with values, borrowing structure from others, using visual focus to initiate work, creating space to edit responses, and building systems that support both present self and future self.

This episode continues the Executive Functioning series and leads into the final discussion, where more advanced skills and integration will be covered.

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Rich Thoughts, Poor Jokes, is brought to you by Compass Coaching. At Compass Coaching, we specialize in executive coaching by collaborating with you on your goals, giving you reliable information, skills development practice opportunities, goal-oriented behavioral strategies, and help in tailoring these skills to your specific situation. We offer both topic-specific, empirically-based programs for businesses, organizations, and companies, all built on cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused principles.

Learn more and connect with us at www.compasscoachingforlife.net