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Why It's OK to Feel Unproductive While You're Healing

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Anxiety, depression and stress can leave you feeling like the day is over before it has even properly begun. You can feel like there is a million and one things that you should be doing, but there is simply no energy there to do them, and that’s OK.

Feeling unproductive, exhausted and unmotivated is perfectly fine. There is nothing to be ashamed about there. Those feelings can lead to binge-watching or binge-eating or binge-sleeping, and all of those things are perfectly fine, too. If you’re dealing with lack of self-worth or self-confidence, you’re owed days like that.

Having times like this can make you feel like you’re never going to make it, whether that means you’re never going to make it in a professional stance or generally get through the next week. Try to remember that small tasks count. Even if all you do today is drink a cup of tea or change your socks, it doesn’t matter.

You probably haven’t given yourself enough credit for doing the small things, because those small things are victories too. Whether you’ve sent a text to your mom or updated your resume with your new address — both those things are important and count towards your future and your healing. If I could, I’d give you a sticker for each small thing you accomplish. I sure would like a sticker.

Big things tend to be accomplished in small steps. Creating something awesome, whether it’s a top-notch blog or the first few chapters of an epic novel, tends to not happen overnight or in a day. Things take time, just like humans. We take time to grow, mature and heal.

The world gives off the impression that if you don’t do something today, then you’ll never do it. We all must rush around, chasing our dreams or money, or both ideally, before it’s too late. But when is too late? Who says there is a time limit on doing cool stuff? Time didn’t stop this awesome 90-year-old lady who graduated college recently, so why should it stop you?

Just because you’re not accomplishing your dreams today doesn’t mean they’ll never happen. They will happen when you decide to work for them. They will happen when you are better. You can start to get things in motion of achieving whatever you want to achieve at any time.

Depression, anxiety and stress can literally suck the life out of you. Your motivation, energy and general lust for life diminishes, so do not punish yourself for not getting back on your feet in an instant — it’s going to take some time to get back into the swing of things.

It’s not a race, and everybody gets better in their own time. Trust me when I say that the more small steps you take, the better you’ll feel about yourself, which will only lead to more small steps being made. And what do lots of small steps make? A really nice walk to wherever you want to go.

Let’s take small steps together to something awesome.

Image via Thinkstock.

Originally published: September 9, 2016
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