What small thing/s did you do today to chip away at your avoidance?

[Brother b]

What has helped me the most has been these things

• Taking things one at a time
  • Not keeping a to do list...I would be ultra focused on ONE thing at a time...wake up? The one thing is make my bed and I focus intensely on doing that one thing the best I can then move on throughout the day...avoiding tv, and aimless internet searches.
  • This got my mind off my normal avoidance habits and actually got my body moving creating a slight bit of momentum
• Get outside and listen to inspiring audiobooks
  • When down I usually avoid exercising or just getting off the bed...I am lucky enough to live near a beach, but I would go to parks too and I would walk for as long as I felt like walking, not putting pressure on myself to do anything while I listened to to motivation inspirational uplifting audiobooks.
  • This stimulated my mind and my body while I got some sun...
  • Movement is always the first step to help me get moving towards things I need to do

I hope this helps, when I am in a mode of avoidance or depression there are two things I do to get myself out...

1. Get moving
2. Clean up my environment

The movement gets me more motivated...starts the momentum...and I find that in situations of avoidance my mind is often cluttered, and having a cluttered room/environment just adds to it.

Most advice is simple....

If you are reading this while avoiding something or are in a bout of apathy/depression do those two things...stop reading, and start moving...just force yourself to get up right now and go for a short walk...take in some sun if you can, when you get back clear your room to declutter your environment which will help declutter your mind.
And remember intensely focus on ONE thing at a time; don't think of anything else!

Be great, you can do this, I believe in you

 

[ms spock]

Thanks @Brother b that was really helpful.

Today I got moving.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

Took self-care break and did soothing things when I would start to feel too anxious or nauseous to do something.
Made to-do lists breaking bigger tasks into single action tasks, and broke those down even further so I don't feel overwhelmed when I do them.
Setting up a planner for a first time in months, to ensure the most important things don't get swept to the side if I have a bad day.
Researching sensory and other soothing things to manage my day-to-day anxiety better and be able to handle more.
Journal a lot, basically brain-dump a lot these days because I've gathered a lot in a month and I need more clear head.

 

[ms spock]

there are two things I do to get myself out...

1. Get moving
2. Clean up my environment

It helps a lot.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

I'm struggling daily with wanting to avoid a lot right now(depression or exhaustion or both-and inability to move for me always spirals into really ugly bouts of anxiety).
And yesterday I had a realization, while I was freaking out about feeling like everything is important to do but I am frozen and unable to do anything...When you're in that frozen state, really all that matters is to get yourself into an able state again, whatever you do for it.
If that means taking the smallest task from your todo list and doing that, than so be it- it really doesn't hold significance, as long as it gets you enough momentum to realize you can do more.

 

[Deleted member 8714]

Did the laundry.

 

[The Albatross]

Put in another call... so in my mind at least I'm right in there trying to remedy the situation rather than be apathetic and frustrated.

 

[ms spock]

I went to Pilates.
I attended a meditation class.

 

[ms spock]

I did a couple of minutes of breathing, and felt some of my anxiety, instead of only running from it.

 

[ms spock]

I emailed that I didn't know what the hourly rate would be and asked advice, then I checked my email,
and confirmed I would take the hourly rate suggested. So I actually took a step towards paid employment. I am terrifed to go down this path, so that is a big step for me.

 

[Justmehere]

Reminded myself of my desire to be a person who follows through.

 

[ms spock]

I turned up to a difficult and uncertain situation and I did just fine.
I texted a honest response to S2. Screw writing a nice email. It was a boundary push so I came down on it like a ton of bricks, because otherwise I will be dissociated from now until the boundary violation occurs.