What Are You Putting Off? Begin with One Small Step
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What are you putting off?
(We all have things we avoid, for one reason or another!)
It may be a decision.
It may be a reply that’s overdue.
It may be a task that feels too hard, too big, or just plain unpleasant
Figure out what’s in the way
Step 1: Set yourself up for easy access to insights
Whatever comes to mind for you, take a little time to think about why you are putting that thing off — what is holding you back.
Are you feeling stuck?
afraid?
confused?
overwhelmed?
when you think about the matter?
It’s helpful to identify the emotion that’s prompting you to put that thing off.
To set yourself up for discovering what that emotion is, start by moving your body. Movement will help your energy to flow, and in turn, help you think clearly.
Take a walk and get some air, or listen to music and move to it.
Now you’ll be more at ease and more able to access answers.
Step 2: Pick a good tool to explore with
You might set a timer for 5 minutes and sit and free-write. (You can write for longer if you’re on a roll!)
Don’t edit or worry about punctuation. Just write. Then take a look at what showed up on the page.
Another good option is to ask someone you trust to listen as you talk it through for yourself.
This person is not there to “figure it out” for you! Choose someone who loves you, wants the best for you, and is willing to simply listen and ask open-ended questions to help you go deeper, until realizations come to light.
What comes next
With clarity about why you have resisted addressing the matter, you may feel ready to get into action. That’s great, and if that’s where you are, skip this section!
And, often, simply knowing the culprit is not enough. It may still feel daunting to get started.
If so, now’s the time to actively transmute your stuck energy so you can release it from your system.
Again, you have choices for how to proceed.
Consider these options:
1. Do something creative — and do it with gusto!
You might pull out crayons or markers and make a hideous drawing that reflects the stuck emotion you want to release. Do as many intense, scribbled drawings as it takes to feel relief from the anger, or frustration, or shame in your system!
2. Move again, this time with even more focus
Dance to super-loud music until you feel wrung out! You can imagine being an animal and moving as though it were angry or excited.
Put on running shoes, get outside or on a treadmill, and see how long it takes to feel like the emotion is “done with you.”
Do yoga and envision that difficult emotion dropping down, deep into the earth, leaving you free of its grip.
3. Shout or pound out the emotion
Sometimes yelling into a pillow, or slamming a pillow or plush doll as hard as you can, will feel like the best way to get stuck emotion out of your system
Now, choose to take a very small step
With the heavy emotion having cleared, it may be tempting to try to tackle a big matter all at once. And sometimes, what’s been stuck will suddenly seem easy to resolve in one effort, which will feel great.
You can also choose one small thing to do first.
That could be to draft the email, but not send it until you reread it later.
You might simply assemble the necessary tools, or find a good video that demonstrates the steps you will need to take.
You might seek an introduction to an expert, or tap your network in another way that will help you tackle a big challenge.
The key is to take some kind of action, that you can then build on with another step and then another.
And if that thing you have been putting off is focusing on yourself, there’s an opportunity that you can take a small step to explore.
Your first step to finding clarity about where you're headed and building confidence to move forward (in any area of your life that's on your mind) is to hop on a call with me.
LiveBigCall.com
On the call you can share what’s going on and what’s in your way. I’ll help you see what’s possible and may be able to provide resources for you.
There’s no obligation or pressure — just a chance for you to gain some clarity and find a first step toward the future you want.
Book your call here:
