What to do when you just don't feel like it.
... when you just can't even.
Like, literally, you can't.
That's been me the last two days. I am up to my eyeballs in tasks I've given myself, so that makes no sense, and I'm going through a Paige-leaving creative-friend withdrawal, and I'm just feeling very whiny and also like I want to just lay on my couch and stare at a wall.
I haven't even been Snapping.That's how you know it's serious.
BUT I got through it! Victory!!! So, I would like to share this with you, because God didn't call you to be awesome to sit on the couch, so let's figure this thing out together.
What to do when you just don't feel like it:
1. Take a nap.
Trick as old as the books, people. Sometimes, I tell myself: You will take a nap, Asia, and then you will wake up in a better mood. And it's a miracle how often this works. And if it doesn't work, I move on to the next steps. Or I go back to sleep.
2. Get coffee.
I could pretty much end this post here because this almost has never failed me ever. A lot of the time that I'm cranky/don't feel like doing anything, it is because I'm tired- even when I don't know that I'm tired. I JUST REALIZED WHILE TYPING IT that that is exactly like a child. Like when a child starts crying and the mom is like "You're just tired honey" and the child screams at the top of his lungs "NO I'M NOT!!!!!!!". That's me, except I'm having this conversation with myself. Or John. Poor John.
As soon as I get coffee, I'm like a new person. Even if I've already had coffee and I fear I may acquire an addiction to coffee, I'm like dgaf yolo, because either I acquire a severe caffeine addiction (that sounds just fine to me) or sit on my couch and be cranky (that sounds not fine to me).
3. Do something nice for someone else.
When I'm in a mood, I definitely don't want to do any of my own stuff, but I definitely can do something for someone else. You know what feels good? Doing a good deed. I literally will be like "Hey, do you need anything? I'm sitting on my couch with zero motivation and I need an excuse to get up." Or I bring John coffee, because he always appreciates coffee and I always feel like he thinks I just swam an ocean for him when I bring it. "THANK YOU OMG YOU'RE SO NICE THANK YOU!!". You're welcome, really, you're welcome.
4. Go swimming (or some other brainless exercise).
I have had to start swimming because of my super fancy Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (exciting stuff, truly), and all I do is jet over to Kennedy, grab a kickboard and kick so slowly like a baby mermaid (baby mermaids have no legs, that's not factually a proper metaphor but we are rolling with it). I can't think of anything else when I swim besides swimming, which is like not something you can think about. So basically my brain is empty and then I feel so productive. Like look at me being all active and summery and it took no thought at all. And then endorphins kick in and you're a brand new human. It's like a baptismal experience. Yeah, I went there.
p.s. For the last two weeks I have been walking all the way through Kennedy's lobby in my bikini and towel to get the pool and I JUST FREAKING REALIZED there is a direct door to the pool from the freaking locker room. WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THAT?!
5. Plan something.
At a certain point, I was like today is not happening. It's over, everybody go home. So I made damn sure that the next day would be fabulous. I planned an awesome day for John and I: morning coffee date, Gus's breakfast burritos, surprise pedicures (John's first!), kayaking in Morro Bay and lunch in Cayucos. It was so much fun. And even planning it got me excited, even though I felt like doing none of those things yesterday.
6. Paint your nails, clean your room, or do any other mindless task.
Since you are probably the kind of person who doesn't do anything they don't want to do, now is not the time to force yourself into creating a masterpiece, studying for a test, or doing whatever is that life requires you to do. It just ain't gonna happen. So, now you can give yourself permission to do *other* things that you usually are too busy for (doing those things, like creating masterpieces). I rarely clean my room when I'm in a great mood, because if I'm in a great mood, why am I wasting it on cleaning my room, yaknowwhatImsayin?
7. Own it. And forgive yourself.
You're allowed, human friend of mine, totally allowed to have a down day. For someone like me, who has self-described herself on Instagram as a "cheerleader for Team Happy", I feel so guilty when I am not in a good mood. I feel like I owe it to the people around me to inspire them with happiness (I was voted "Most Likely To Brighten Your Day" in high school, just fyi), uplift them, energize them, or you know, at least be decent company. And on days like yesterday, that was not happening.
I feel guilty that I'm not creating masterpieces, not writing hilarious blog posts, not planning fantastic magazine articles, not taking beautiful pictures, not helping someone to plan their business or follow their dreams. I feel like WHAT IS THIS LIFE IF I CANNOT DO THESE THINGS.
And then I remember this too shall pass. This day is not all days. My body is telling me to take a break. To refresh. (Or most likely, it's telling me to clean my room.) Blossom where you are planted. And tomorrow, I will be a creative genius again. But for today, I will own this.
Or I will get coffee and everything will be fine.
Note to self: Need more pictures not smiling in case write serious post.