Fear is at the basis of procrastination. It is about avoidance. It is about not wanting to put oneself on the line, either for others to see, or as a personal measurement of who we are and how we perform.
When we procrastinate, we postpone the inevitable. At some point, though, we will most likely have to face what we are trying to avoid. Doctor appointments, paying bills, facing responsibilities we do not want to take on, dieting, taking good care of our health, are all situations in which we may procrastinate. We may be afraid to look at ourselves for who we truly are. Yet, ultimately, to live a balanced, contented life, we must. When resistance, or any type of negative emotion, is felt, that is a signal to take a deeper look, for there is work to be done. “Work! But we don’t want to do any work!” he/she said.”I just want to be happy and healthy without the work!”
That would be nice, but… not very practical.
In order to move forward successfully in life, it is good to be in tune with your strengths and resistances, so accept them, whether good or not so good. Then work to overcome what is not serving you well. For example, when I first started writing this blog, I procrastinated in the writing because I felt I was not a particularly good writer, I was unsure of the subject matter, I was uncertain if my topic would be relevant, etc, etc, etc. I was feeling very little confidence, and my writi
ng self-esteem was quite low. Every month, I would eventually settle on a topic and write with trepidation. When it was complete, I saw it was a good deal better than I thought it would be. I also decided the writing was mostly for me to sort out my ideas and beliefs, so it was great if someone liked what I said, but it wasn’t necessary. Now I sit down to write with enthusiasm even though I still expend a great deal of effort. I hope what I write is helpful to others, but that is a secondary purpose. I changed my perspective.
So changing perspective on a situation helps to overcome resistance and hopefully, procrastination. Changing perspective takes effort, though. Without effort, little is accomplished, so begin to be more in tune with yourself. What is causing the unhappiness that comes up? It is not about something or someone else, even though it may seem that way. It is about something deep inside. Then explore how this situation can be changed or viewed differently to bring about resolution.
Many people go from situation to situation without evaluating how they are living their life. They live in a reactionary world, often blaming others or outside circumstances for the things that happen. They do not take responsibility for themselves and how they feel. In reality, each of us creates the life we live, so if we want happiness, we must create it for ourselves. That takes introspection and desire and a lot of work. Ask yourself, do you want happiness or unhappiness? Do you want a joyous life that flows with ease, or will you bemoan how difficult your life is? If you choose the first, begin to go deeper into yourself and start changing your perspective on what no longer serves you. Sometimes we can do it ourselves and sometimes we need help. Don’t procrastinate.
