When we just don’t want to do something, it can be useful to remember that mood almost always follows action.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Nik

When we don’t want to do something, the temptation is to wait for motivation.

That’s often a mistake!

Mood almost always follows action, not the other way around. Start the workout, write the first sentence, make the call, take the walk — and your energy begins to shift.

Action creates momentum, and momentum changes emotion.

The mind loves excuses; the body loves movement.

If you wait until you feel ready, you may wait all day. But if you begin before you feel like it, you often discover that feeling follows doing.

So next time resistance shows up, don’t negotiate with it. Move first. Your mood may be waiting on the other side of effort!

EXERCISE:

Create a list of three to five things you don’t feel like doing.

Select one and set a 5-minute timer. Commit to just five minutes of the task, knowing you can stop after that.

Often, your mood will shift and the minutes after the first five become much easier.