“The Hardest Thing Is Getting Started!”

If you think the hardest thing is getting started, you are not alone. Whether it’s starting a tedious task, or starting something new like a new healthy routine, many of us hesitate. We start thinking, “I’ll start next week”, or the time isn’t right because it’s someone’s birthday, or you have to get this before you start, or I’ll wait till next month…….These are all ways of putting something off till later. Thinking these thoughts just make it harder to get started!

Done is better than dread!

I don’t know about you, but what used to stop me, is just the thought of the task I had to do. I often build up an idea of what something is going to be like, in my mind and I just keep putting it off and doing other things. However once I get started, more often than not, it is never that bad. I would tell myself I’ll just do a bit and see how I feel.

The feeling of the task being done is better than dreading it. So knowing this, I have started to get more done, especially with small tasks that take 5 minutes or less instead of letting them build up. It is a case of mind over matter. Being aware is key. If you want to read more about why we self sabotage click here. Also grab my useful tool called my “4 As”, which is a 4 step process that helps me deal with some dilemma or problem.

Get the worst task out the way

Have you ever felt like that, about a task on your to do list? You think to yourself you can’t be bothered and you keep putting it off, although it’s on the back of your mind. Then when you do it, you wished you’d done it sooner and got it out the way, instead of wasting the last few days stressing about getting it done.

I have often felt like that. A tip here, is to get the worst task out the way first. Then it won’t be like a shadow hanging over you when you go on to do the things you enjoy. Adopting this way of thinking has made me happier and less stressed, and I actually get more done.

Starting something new

The hardest thing about getting started is evident when it’s starting something new. Thoughts begin circling my head, about when’s the best time to start, what do I need to do, and how, we are all guilty of this. However the secret is not to let these thoughts govern our actions. These thoughts come in the shape of fear, fear of the unknown,  fear of change, and with change comes the feeling of being uncomfortable.

For example, starting a new gym where you’ve never been before, you worry about how you look, not knowing how to use the equipment, people judging you. That has never been further from the truth. People at the gym, are busy with themselves and how they look. No one is judging. If you don’t know how to use the equipment, you can ask a trainer that’s usually circling around, or even ask another gym goer when they are resting between sets, so as not to disturb their training. It will help strike up a rapport with someone. People love to show their knowledge.

Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable

Most of us try to avoid feeling uncomfortable. However this feeling is not to be undervalued. I’ll explain what I mean. We all feel challenged with a new workout, however we know that over a short period of time, the workout gets easier. But does it get easier? No, the workout hasn’t got easier, the workout hasn’t changed, it is your body is getting stronger.

Your body has got comfortable with the workout. In order to improve, you must change the workout and once again challenge your body so that it gets uncomfortable again. That’s why we add weights in the gym. So the feeling of being uncomfortable means change is happening! So think of it as a trigger that you are growing stronger, don’t let that fear of the uncomfortable stop you. Embrace the challenge and struggle, because that’s how results are achieved. If you had to do 10 reps, which rep is the hardest?…………..The 11th!!

Adopt a baby’s mindset

Another thought that pops into our heads is the fear of getting things right and being perfect, fear of not knowing how to do something,  fear of looking stupid, fear of failing, fear of judgement,  etc. etc. However we have all been beginners at everything we do, we are not born knowing how to walk, talk, write, speak, etc. etc. We just need to start! Once you start you will figure things out. Everything we do for the first time is a learning curve. We need to adopt a baby’s mindset. When we were babies we had no fear of failure, and were not afraid to keep trying. Like when we are learning to walk we kept getting up and falling, and kept getting up and falling repeatedly, until we could finally walk.

Too busy, no time

Most of us have heard of the phrase “too busy being busy”. My biggest excuse was “I haven’t got time, I have too much on my plate”. However being busy and being productive are not the same. You could be busy but not productive. Keeping busy doing tasks that weren’t a priority used to be a trait of mine. Realising that I had to prioritise my tasks and state what was important to me for that day made a big difference.

If I had no time to exercise I would ask myself “Is it important to me?” If the answer is “yes” then why am I not making time to do it. The other way I approach this would be to schedule it in my planner, and make an appointment with myself. I wouldn’t not show up to an appointment with someone else. Start honouring your time! Honour yourself! See it as a promise to yourself.

To Summarise

What makes it hard for most of us to get started, is more to do with the thought we have in our head and not the reality. The feel of dread and the fear of the uncomfortable. By making small shifts to how we view these situations, it will allow us to move past these imaginary obstacles. There is really nothing stopping us from doing anything, apart from ourselves. We must stop getting in our own way. We are worrying about things that haven’t even happened and may not even happen. However instead of fighting these feelings, by fleeing and hiding, learn to expect these fears. Doing this will diminish their power to control our actions, because we are no longer surprised instead we are prepared. So what are you waiting for! Just get started!

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

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As always keep living agelessly,

Kath xoxo