Week 2 of the new year is when I start seeing messages from a lot of people saying they are stuck. They look like this:

“I can’t get started.”
“Why is this so hard!?”
“I can’t bring myself to open it.”

First of all, if this is you, please know this is so common. We all feel it. We all get stuck when we start new things – in all areas of life.

Change is hard. And many of us have developed an almost crippling aversion to change. Even when we know happiness is on the other side of that change.

So, assuming that we want positive change, here’s how we can make it easier:

1. Commit to it
   Make a decision to do what it takes to get what you want. Commit to taking the steps necessary on a regular basis. With Define My Day, that looks like following the process, to the letter, on a daily basis. No excuses.
2. Schedule it
   What gets scheduled gets done. You’ve already made your decision in step 1, there’s not need to argue about it now. Schedule it before everything else so nothing gets in the way.
3. Create a simple “Step 1”
   Don’t try to think through the entire process before beginning. Simply start with, “sit in my chair and put pen to paper.” Then continue onto the next step.

I use this process in just about everything I find hard to start. (Even writing emails like this.)

I first decide if it’s important enough. Then if the answer is yes, I schedule it and commit to beginning at that time.

When that time comes, I just start. When my mind starts pushing back, “I don’t wanna!” or “What if we just watched a little more…”, I use a little tactic I learned while meditating:

Observe the thought and set it aside. Don’t engage with it. Let it go. Bring your mind back to the task at hand.

And, by creating a simple step 1, we break free of stuckness without creating overwhelm.

“I’m simply putting on my shoes. That’s easy!”
“Now, I’m walking down the stairs.”
“Now, I’m doing one jumping jack. One more…”

With Define My Day:

1. Make coffee
2. Sit in chair
3. Open book
4. Start writing
5. Move to next step

Fear of doing it wrong, no matter what “it” is, can also be a problem. And to that I say, “do it anyway.” We learn best when we screw up.

Keep moving forward,