A few weeks ago I began to blog about the inertia that seemed to have overtaken my life. While the disappearance of my neighbor was the catalyst for this, it was not the only cause and not the reason it stuck around for so long. While some early steps helped me move into functionality, I had not yet moved back into energy and joy. I seem to have arrived back at energy and joy, or at least out of sadness and fatigue.
The Spirit has helped me take several steps that have helped. First has been getting my morning devotion routine back thanks to the arrival in the mail of a new book The Balancing Act by Bishop Robert Schnase. It has been just what I needed: reflection based on real life incidents that draw me into deeper thinking about who I am, who God is, and who the Church is. The reflecting has deepened my prayer life as well.
I also took an afternoon and worked (again) through the goal setting activities found in the Franklin-Covey Starter pack. It asks you to identify roles, values, and goals. This was a wonderful way for me to visualize how I wanted my life to be different from what it has been these last few weeks and make a plan to make the changes. The afternoon was spent near the creek in the park and was full of Holy Moments.
Prayer by others has been integral to this process. Last Saturday, I asked my small group to pray for discernment in several decisions I was facing regarding my work, my health, and my family. The first thing that happened was, I received permission I needed to miss some of my residency work to participate in an awesome training opportunity. Decision made. This week, I received a book about migraines in the mail that made it clear what one of the health issue decisions should be. Making that decision gave me courage to get started on the next one.
The other thing that has helped is remembering not to let dread suck up my whole day and energy like a giant vacuum cleaner. I've been doing some "Just Do It" self talk. I had a phone call to make to someone high up in the church, and was worried how it might go, since I was going to call into question a decision she and I had made together only the week before. Thinking it through had brought up some concerns we hadn't considered in our eagerness to get going and I didn't want her to think I am fickle. The phone call went fine. She agreed that we need to re-think this project and didn't say a word about me being fickle. In fact, she stated we are very much on the same page.
Next step: - Get back to the Y. I have a somewhat "normal" schedule next week with no excuses for not going. I haven't been in 2 months.
If you are still reading at the end of this long post, thanks for your interest and your prayers.
How do you deal with inertia?
4 comments:
It happens to me too, usually for the entire months of February, March, and April...and then I come out of it for the summer and fall...at least now I am beginning to recognize the cyclical nature of it...but as far as I can tell, the only way out of it is to just get up and do.
get. up. and. do.
(and I hate that that is it)...
prayers for you as you begin to move again.
My mama always used to say, "Get up and get moving, and you'll feel better." I hated hearing that! And in the case of a migraine, it's not the truth. But in the case of inertia? It usually is.
Let's make a pact that you'll go back to the Y and I'll go back to Curves. I have to do SOMETHING. Good for you for actually taking positive steps to move and change.
I usually make a list of one thing I must do that day. Usually other things fall in place. Sometimes it feels like I have to, and somedays that is fine. I feel like sometimes I just need to go through the motions of having at least one goal, and I tend to find a few other things. However, don't be too hard or pushy on yourself because sometimes you might spin deeper. That's why I always stick with the make one goal. I did mine for today and actually ended up accomplishing four or five things. So, I'm good.
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