A week ago I finally completed three tasks that had lived on a to-do list in my brain for weeks. I thought about them often, even suffered occasionally, but I continued to procrastinate and allow myself to get distracted.
Last week I finally tackled one of the tasks and felt so good I decided to do a second one. After that I had so much momentum I completed the third. What a relief. When I tell you what they were, you’ll laugh but I bet you’ll understand: 1. Order vitamins. 2. Make an appointment with a doctor for a checkup. 3. Toss or file a pile of papers.
Prior to doing them, just the thought of ordering vitamins triggered a conversation in my head about how complicated it would be and how long it would take. And I felt tired every time I looked at the pile of papers that had accumulated. I predicted it would take me hours. Maybe days! And of course, just the thought of a visit to a doctor, even though it was routine, set off heart palpitations. In reality, all three took much less time than I thought and I was surprised by the impact my actions made – a huge amount of repressed energy was released. It reminded me that resisting a task almost always is more exhausting than doing it.
Are you resisting actions that would have you thrive?
If you feel stuck in your job but continue to do nothing about it, you probably feel drained most of the time. If you’re yearning to start a business or are frustrated with one you already own and have not taken steps to change anything, I bet you feel resigned and miserable. If you’re ready and eager to write your next chapter in life – create a more flexible life style or find an opportunity to learn something new or take on exciting challenges – and are waiting for someone or something to make it happen, you’re probably feeling frustrated and sad. What an enormous amount of energy is repressed from not acting in these circumstances.
When you stop thinking, analyzing and/or brooding about a situation and get into action, your mood immediately shifts. As soon as you take steps to find or create what you want, you feel happier, more energized and hopeful, even before anything substantive happens. And once you start on a new path you can be sure you’ll never be the same because your life will change. You’ll meet new people, have new ideas, and discover previously unknown resources.
Remember, it’s a journey
Accomplishing work/life goals is a process, not an event, and it can be hard to stick with if you do it alone. Ups and downs are inevitable. Sometimes life is a wild ride, like a rollercoaster. It’s easy to get discouraged and decide to reduce your goals or maybe even give up on them. However, if you have a champion in your corner, it can make all the difference in your staying power. A coach can be a champion. A group of friends can be champions too – just make sure you meet regularly and manage your conversations so that everyone stays focused, positive and active.
If you’ve postponed taking actions to improve your work/life, do something about it today. Take one step. Place a call. Or do research online. Or set up an information interview. Ask for help (call me). Gather a group of friends. Join a job search or Master Mind group.
Just stop resisting. Do something. If you do, I promise you’ll feel better about yourself and you’ll free all that trapped energy. Then watch what happens!
Keep thriving,
Robin
Providing career and professional development coaching for professionals for thirty-five years…