Why Trying to “Fix” Your Life Isn’t Working

I was scrolling on Threads recently and came across a post that asked the question:

“What’s a silly nonsense purchase that has turned out to be something you love/use often?"

And the answers were so fun.

A hot dog telephone.

A caterpeeler (vegetable peeler shaped like a catepillar)

A hand-painted Kermit mirror.

Magic wand salt and pepper shakers.

None of this stuff is likely to be labeled as life-changing, sure.

But it makes people smile.

And isn't that what we all really want at the end of the day?

A little more JOY in our lives?

And that got me thinking about something…

Most of us don’t approach change from that place.

We don’t think:

“How can I add more joy to my life?”

We think:

“What do I need to fix?”

We look at our habits, our bodies, our routines, and we immediately go into problem-solving mode.

“I need to eat better.”

“I need to lose weight.”

“I need to be more consistent.”

“I need to get it together.”

And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting things to be different…

The energy behind that approach matters.

Because when change is rooted in fixing,

It often feels heavy.

Restrictive.

Like something you have to do before you’re allowed to feel good.

And this shows up all the time with weight loss.

There’s this underlying belief that:

“Once I fix my body…then my life will feel better.”

Then I’ll feel more confident.

Then I’ll have more energy.

Then I’ll enjoy my life more.

But what if that’s backwards?

What if you don’t have to wait until everything is “fixed” to start experiencing more joy?

What if you could use goal setting…

Use behavior change…

Use the support of coaching…

Not just to fix what feels wrong,

But to intentionally add more of what feels right?

More joy.

More lightness.

More fun.

More moments that actually make you smile throughout your day.

This doesn’t mean you ignore the parts of your life you want to improve.

It’s not an either/or.

It’s a both/and.

You can work toward goals that matter to you…

AND build a life that feels better along the way.

Because if all of your effort is focused on fixing,

And none of it is focused on filling yourself up,

You end up stuck in this constant state of:

“I’ll feel better when…”

And that “when” just keeps moving.

So instead of only asking:

“What do I need to change?”

Try asking:

“What can I add?”

“What would make my day feel a little lighter?”

“What would bring me a little more joy, even if it seems small or unnecessary?”

Because those small things?

They’re not insignificant.

They’re often the things that make everything else feel more sustainable.

So here’s what I want you to think about today:

How does this idea land for you?

The idea that you can use goal setting and behavior change not just to fix your life…

But to intentionally create more joy in it.