What To Do When Uninspired

One of my intentions for 2024 is to practice micro-honesty with myself about my feelings. Today, I’m feeling uninspired. Maybe it’s the weather (it is a dreary day here in Austin), but my life is not dreary. It is full of vibrant colors, big visions, and warmth. Yet I’m feeling uninspired.

I don’t like feeling uninspired. It reminds me way too much of depression, which was chronic for me between 2005 and 2011. My go-to move when uninspired is to do whatever it takes to get rid of this feeling: more coffee, knock a bunch of small things off my list, rumination, text a friend, etc.

Today, I’m just allowing myself to be uninspired for now. A skill that I’m learning is to separate what I’m feeling from my behavior. I’ve resisted this idea for quite a while. It feels like “acting”. But unless I’m doing it to please or pander to someone else, I realize it is actually maturity.

In separating what I’m feeling from my actions, I’m giving myself one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves: CHOICE.