5 Steps to Re-charge When You Feel Like Giving Up
5 Steps to Re-charge When You Feel Like Giving Up
Even the most mild-mannered of us have days when we want to
spray paint over happy face buttons and strangle the next person
who comes close to suggesting that there is always a silver
lining.
Even those of us who are completely dedicated to doing WHATEVER
it takes to reach our goals have days when all feels hopeless
and it seems as if our ability to achieve these goals is rapidly
spinning out of control.
While being on track and on target certainly feels better, these
kinds of days are going to happen to each of us. The real trick
is not to let those days turn into weeks or months or, even
worse, to let those days deceive you into believing that your
goals are unachievable.
1. Allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings
As much as I would like to tell you differently, ignoring how
you are feeling only gets you into more trouble! The sooner that
you learn to recognize that you are starting to get out of
synch, the easier it is to pull out of a downward spiral.
Continuing to push forward anyway just means that you will be
falling much faster and harder when the bottom drops out.
2. Take a Day Off
When you have 'lost ground' feeling bad or unmotivated, the last
thing you think you have time for is to take a day off from
activities that will lead you to your goal. BUT, how effective
can you really be when you 'gut it out' day after day after day
after day? How much more could you get done if you gave yourself
a small break? Instead of pushing harder, consciously take a
step back. I promise that it isn't the beginning of the end - it
is only a pause.
Even if you literally can't take a full day off, consciously
give yourself permission to step back from your goals. Allow
yourself some breathing space.
3. Get it OUT
Acknowledging your feelings is one thing - but how does that
really help? Once you have some breathing room, allow yourself
to work on letting go.
Angry at someone or a situation? Write an angry letter that
doesn't get mailed. Frustrated at yourself? Write it all out.
Now read it as if you had written it to describe your best
friend's behavior - how does that change your view?
Can't put words to it? Rent a movie that will make you belly
laugh or sob the whole way through - that will release a lot of
stuck energy.
4. Shoot for neutral
Once it's all out, allow your goal to be to come back to
neutral. Sure, joy and optimism is where you eventually want to
end up, but for now, allow yourself the gift of accepting
neutral. After all, this is a long way from angry, sad, and
frustrated ~ and much more attainable in this moment.
5. Recommit to TODAY
Now that it's all out and you are in a better place, re-commit
to whatever part of your goal that you can accomplish today.
Long term planning has its place. But, for right now, focus on
this moment and this moment only. Then celebrate as you meet
each accomplishment.
The way to meet any goal is to create conscious choices and
actions. This formula is the same for times when you aren't
meeting your goals. Too many of us slip into beating ourselves
up when we slip out of goal-achieving behaviors. This sets up
unconscious resistance. The harder you push, the more resistance
there is, and the farther you get from your goals ~ even though
you feel like you are working twice as hard.
By making a conscious decision to put yourself through these
steps the next time you feel like giving up, you will give
yourself just the space you need to make a quantum leap ahead
towards meeting your goals - and you won't have to re-invest in
new happy face buttons or mend relationships either!
Jennifer R Bloome teaches women a 4 step process to create
complete physical and emotional wellness by learning to create
peace no matter what is going on around them. Create your own
peace by signing up for free meditations at www.AnjiOnline.com