How I make small steps
I’m currently going through a challenging time in my life, but I still want to share some ideas on how to accomplish tasks without burning out, how to do less and feel more rewarded than if you pushed yourself to do more.
For some context: I grew up with the expectation of being constantly committed to everything I did, which, ironically, made it much harder for me to commit to anything at all. This created a lot of pressure whenever I took on something that required more than a day’s work. It felt like being stuck in a trap - a fork, in chess terms, where the outcome is always disappointing.
For example, I really wanted to write my first blog post here, and I came up with a great topic, one that could easily be expanded into a full book. But it’s too big, and I don’t have the resources to finish it adequately. Yes, I could push myself harder, but it would probably leave me disappointed, with the work unfinished or me completely exhausted. So, it’s this dissonance - doing nothing feels bad and degrading, but writing the whole thing seems too daunting. I end up stuck in the middle. What I did instead was write this post. It’s smaller, it covers a much simpler idea, and instead of draining me, it has given me more energy and fulfillment.
There are two main ideas I want to highlight. First, you’re always tired for a reason. Your body isn’t there to trick you or stand in your way; in fact, it’s the most dedicated and true friend one could ever have, even though it might take a while to realize that if, like me, you were never taught to listen to it. Pushing yourself into a difficult task against your will might work in some cases, but more often than not, it leaves you disoriented and frustrated, because, in essence, you’re fighting yourself - and that’s never a fulfilling experience.
The second idea is recognizing the confusion and overwhelm that arise in these situations, and then just taking a smaller step. It’s much more fulfilling in the end, and it keeps you moving forward.
The reason I’m sharing these ideas is to open up a conversation and hear from you. If you have anything to add, please feel free to reach out to me.
Thank you for your interest - it truly means a lot to me. Wish you the best.