I know I’ve had my fair share of “When I Was Young” lectures from the post-war generations about what it means to suffer (and it’s always implied that without suffering on the same level we can never live up to them).
Yes, we are hardwired to thrive on challenges, difficulties, pain and limitations. Those are the times that allow us to rise up to the occasion and become a better version of ourselves.
But I think you can also get paralysed if your expectations are too big.
When you feel like your effort is wasted or like no matter what you do it won’t make a difference anyway. That paralysis is counterproductive.
On those days, I scale it back and tell myself that all I have to do that day is do one thing. Just one thing. Get out of bed. Put some food in my mouth. Put on pants. Check off one thing from the to-do list.
And sometimes I’ll add super simple things to my to-do list just so I can check them off.
Eat lunch ✅
Drink water ✅
Read one page ✅
Write one paragraph ✅
Load dishwasher ✅
Move laundry from hamper to machine ✅
Start the washing machine ✅
I use this to build up a sense of progression, some momentum. Pretty soon my “only one thing” things add up to a whole day of having gotten stuff done, checking items off my list, but without that paralysing feeling of it being all too much.
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“When Sasha Barrett gets bitten by a snake on a mission, her squad captain’s quick actions not only save her life, but also make her realise something she may have known all along…“
