motivation.
this has been on my mind a lot lately because i have been (hmmm... what's a nice way to say this? well... i'll go with) UNmotivated. yeah, slug would probably fit better, but i'm being kind to myself. i have not gotten much done. i have no ambition. i am unorganized. i have not wanted to clean. or cook. or even spend time on my hobbies. *sigh* can you relate?
it is bugging me. A LOT.
i don't know what my problem is. actually, i do, but i haven't wanted to examine the reason too closely. do i have a lot going on? sure. but no more than anyone else. being busy is a part of life. am i bored? no, not really. am i just 'lazy'? ouch! i hope that is not it. :)
oh, wait... am i waiting for everything to be perfect? yep, that might be it! perfectionism is debilitating. it is stopping me from enjoying time with my children; it is stopping me from getting things around the house accomplished. it is stopping me from even starting.
i am exposing myself and sharing this with you because it has got to stop. i need some motivation. i want to get things done. i do. i dont want to wait until the 'perfect' time and realize that i have not been a good steward of the time i was given.
i know i should 'just do it'; i can't. i am in a rut. i need some help.
i don't even have any words for you, Lord, but you know the longings of my heart. help me please to find joy in completing my work. give me satisfaction in my chores and motivation to work. thank you Father.
"No one will ever see me quit, because I simply won't. If I start something, I will finish it and do it well." ~Steve Belmarsh
garden panos from 2023
2 months ago
Have you read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren? It is based on his program, 40 days of purpose and has helped me so much (we are on day 39 right now). There are some chapters in there about waiting for the "perfect" time to do things. It has helped me enourmously.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there are some times in life when things are happening beyond your control that make you feel as though you are in a rut, or depressed. Sometimes only time can save us from these feelings.
I will continue to pray for you xoxox
dawn, get out of my mind! :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I've been the same way for the last 2 months. I just can't find the motivation to do anything, esp. writing related. I think the perfectionism is one of the biggest things that can hold a person back. Give yourself permission for things NOT to be perfect. I had to do that with this writing project. I just keep telling myself this isn't my only chance and if she doesn't like it, then I'm okay.
Besides, to your kids any time they spend with you is going to be perfect :)
After seeing this I felt compelled to write. I to have struggled with this at various points in my life and am fighting it right now especially in my research lab and in writing up my thesis, CV, presentations, and posters. You probably know all this stuff I'm going to say but what the heck, we could all use a reminder at times.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall correctly you write some reviews, with getting my writing done (I don't know if you're struggling with this but what the heck, it may come in handy later) I do a big old brain dump, who cares what it looks like or if it is even a sentence, just write it down, who cares what it looks like, get it down, it gives you something to start with and then you can make it look pretty later on, if you get started on it the rest will follow. As for the "chore" end of things, either set the small manageable goals, or temporarily drop your standards for starting something, or get it so it is at least tolerable to work in, then go with it. YOu will remember getting stuff done, not if your area was "perfect" you may also be focused too much on perfection rather than on the big stuff of life, so as the book title says "don't sweat the small stuff". I think I need to re-read my well worn copy of it. Ok, I think I could have just posted a few words on this rather than this whole marathon, but I exerted the effort to write it so dang-it, I'm leaving it here. My overall advice/encouragement is: Don't sweat the small stuff, you never know what you may be missing if you do sweat it, and if you don't have a copy of that book, pick it up, it is useful for situations like this. In fact, I think I need to go read some of it right now, by attempting to help you I have just helped myself, this is cool.
Good luck,
Elliot