Hi Reader, Have you experienced this?
There are times in a week or month when I think, “Ugh, it’s one of those days.” Nothing moves forward, results feel impossible, and even the people I love feel like extra work. Everything in me says, “Quit, quit, quit.”
When that happens, I start coming up with excuses:
“I’m too tired for this.”
“Someone made me feel awful.”
“I’ve been trying for so long, and nothing’s changing.”
I can’t even get out of bed, let alone follow through with what I promised myself. So I reply “so what?” to everything I’ve planned.
I wanted to go for a run — so what if I don’t?
I was supposed to meet that friend — so what if I cancel?
I planned to read a chapter — so what if I do it later?
It’s always the same story. I tell myself I’ll do it later. No one’s waiting for the results, no one’s following up, no one’s checking in. When there’s no external pressure, what makes us do the thing anyway?
Honestly — nothing.
And I’m not going to preach about being motivated or paint a pretty picture of being productive all the time. But when I’m in this headspace, there are a few things that help me find a way out.
Before that, let me mention the easiest way out: tell someone your goal and deadline.
It works. They can hold you accountable for your goals. It’s my go-to when I have someone to trust with it.
But when I don’t (like now) — here’s what I try instead:
- Simplify it.
Take the smallest version of the task and do just that.
If I planned to run 5K and I can’t face it, I go for a walk instead. The odds are I’ll be more likely to feel like I’d like to give the running a try if I’m already out walking than when I’m home in my comfies.
If I planned to read twenty pages, I just open the file and read one.
Being in motion, even slightly, usually flips something in my head.
- Do it for a few minutes.
I tell myself: “Just three minutes.” If I still want to stop after that, I do. Usually when the resistance kicks in, it’s because we’ve set a big chunk to deliver. Break it into pieces and only do it for a few short minutes; 2 or 3 would be enough time for you to see if you feel like going ahead or not (in most cases you will do)
- Cut yourself some slack.
We’re humans. We have a capacity and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed, down or blue.
Be mindful of how long you’re stuck there, though — if it keeps coming back, it’s worth asking for help. Talk to a friend, a professional, or even take a long walk and let nature listen.
You don’t have to be “on” all the time. You just have to stay aware of what your body, mood, and energy are trying to tell you.
If this feeling happens often, please don’t just push through it alone.
And Reader, if you ever feel like you need to talk, just hit reply. I’ll be here.
See you next week.
Mina
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