I know this is weird to say, but one of the best things I've ever learned was being gentle with myself.
It's not that I couldn't before - I just never thought it was 'OK' and me being a perfectionist in many ways made this hard. In fact, I was incredibly hard on myself throughout the years.
To that end, I had another dream in which I solved a particular software programming problem I've had for the last few days. My dreams is actually when I do my best thinking and problem solving. I'm not entirely sure why or how but it's almost trance like. I "feel" like I can devote my entire brain to that problem without things getting in the way - no wasted energy. It also allows me to operate lightning fast, trying different solutions almost simultaneously.
So I solved this problem, woke up, went to the computer to start writing code... and it bored me. I didn't have the motivation to get it out. It took almost the entire morning and a couple cups of coffee before I grudgingly convinced myself to work.
Thinking about this process later in the day, it dawned on me that all these years of me being hard on myself for never "finishing what I start" was perhaps something different. I use to think that I was just being lazy or wasn't good enough etc. Now, I realize that it's more like - "eh - been there done that - I'm bored."
The reason it was so hard for me to get the motivation to work the problem IRL is simple, I already solved it - it no longer interested me. Other shiny things were catching my attention.
So, now I get to look at my past in a different light - and "Be Gentle With Myself" and not judge myself so harshly. I can also now properly booby-trap myself when I really really want to get something done because I have a better understanding of what typically blocks me.
There is much more to this than meets the eye, but this is all I really want to share for now...