Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign what's worthwhile Healing Mind, body and spirit. I'm Ramsey Zimmerman. I choose peace of mind, vitality of body, and joy of spirit over stress, exhaustion, or overwhelm. Together, let's explore and pursue the many ways to build holistic health and wellness.
[00:00:31] Hey there. It's Ramsey here. Have you ever noticed how after a great weekend, you know, one filled with family, friends, laughter, good food, it can be surprisingly hard to get back into gear? You'd think that joy and rest would fuel your motivation. But sometimes, at least for me, it does the opposite. I come back on Monday and just can't get my head in the game. Am I the only one? I doubt it. I was supposed to dive back into a major project, one I'm genuinely excited about, but instead I just looked at my desk and went, nope.
[00:01:05] You know, it's funny, or maybe not funny, how quickly self doubt follows a simple dip in motivation. I start to wonder what's wrong with what I'm doing. Am I doing the right things? Am I still committed to my path?
[00:01:19] My mind loves to turn a passing mood into a cascade of doubts.
[00:01:24] When my motivation fades, I sometimes start to question everything. My work, my purpose, whether I'm good enough to see it through.
[00:01:32] That's a sneaky little lie, isn't it? The one that whispers. If you were really dedicated, you'd feel like it every day. But that's not how it works. We don't feel like it every day. We aren't meant to. We're rhythmic beings, not robots on a production line.
[00:01:49] So instead of forcing it, I decided to give myself some grace.
[00:01:53] I opened up a window of time and said, okay, not today. I didn't quit. I didn't decide my project was a mistake. I just gave myself permission to step aside for a bit. A good friend of mine recently called this leveraging procrastination.
[00:02:10] And I love that phrase. It means using the time when you don't feel like doing one thing to do something else that still matters. So. So instead of tackling the big project, I went outside and blew some leaves off the driveway. It wasn't exactly the highest use of my talents, but it was satisfying. It cleared my head, and it cleared the path. As I was standing out there waving the leaf blower, you know, it hit me. Sometimes what we call procrastination is maybe just our spirit asking for a different kind of movement. Sometimes our hands need to move before our mind does, or our feet. You know, usually for me, it's running that clears my head. Maybe the body knows when it needs to reset before the next big push.
[00:02:56] Motivation isn't a constant state of readiness. I think it's more like an ebb and flow, like the tide when it goes out, that doesn't mean it's gone. It's just gathering strength for its return.
[00:03:09] But let's be honest, that low tide can smell pretty nasty.
[00:03:15] It's in those moments that the inner critic pipes up mine, starts whispering things like, you're falling behind.
[00:03:22] Quit wasting time.
[00:03:24] You're probably doing the wrong thing anyways.
[00:03:27] And if I'm not careful, I'll start to believe it. I'll start to scramble to fix things when I feel lousy. And usually that's just me pulling wires out fruitlessly.
[00:03:37] So I took some of my own advice.
[00:03:40] What? One idea that's firmly baked into my upcoming program, the 12 week better before Burnout Journey, is you can always begin again. Always.
[00:03:50] Sounds simple, but it's one of the most powerful truths I know. If you get sidetracked or if you mess something up or blow something off, you haven't failed. The only way to fail is to stop trying.
[00:04:03] You don't need to have it all figured out to begin with.
[00:04:06] You don't even need total motivation to begin again.
[00:04:09] You just need to stop fighting yourself, take a breath, and start back up wherever you are. This is one of those lessons that I keep learning over and over because I like to be productive. I like momentum. I like to feel like I'm getting somewhere. And when that slows down, it's easy for me to worry that something's wrong. But maybe nothing's wrong at all. Maybe it's just time to pause.
[00:04:33] Think about it. When you rest between sets at the gym, you don't call that failure. That's recovery. When a field lies fallow for a season, it's not dead. It's restoring its nutrients for the next growth.
[00:04:47] Why should your own rhythm be any different? There's a quiet kind of faith in allowing yourself to rest without guilt.
[00:04:53] That's what begin again really means. It's not just about restarting after you've fallen off track. It's about trusting that you will come back and that when you do, you'll bring more clarity, more peace, and more perspective about the whole thing.
[00:05:09] Come to think of it, yesterday I blew off work to blow leaves. I guess I needed that day. My mind needed a break from output. My spirit needed to feel small and grounded again, connected to something simple, something earthy. You know what? Today I feel more ready.
[00:05:26] Ready to get back at it.
[00:05:28] That's the thing about motivation. It isn't always the starting line. It's the. It's the spark that shows up after you take a step. We like to think it's what gets us moving, but more often, movement brings it back.
[00:05:42] So if you've been feeling unmotivated lately, maybe you need to hear this. Nothing's wrong with you. You're not broken, just human. The rhythm of real growth includes moments of stillness, uncertainty, even resistance. The key is to not shame yourself for it. Maybe today you don't feel like tackling your big project. That's okay. Go do something else that clears space.
[00:06:05] Physically, mentally, emotionally. Wash the dishes, take a walk, blow some leaves. Just don't spiral into self doubt. Give yourself a window of grace. And when you're ready, begin again.
[00:06:17] Because when you do, you're not starting from zero. You're starting from experience, from wisdom, from everything you've learned since the last time you began.
[00:06:27] So take a breath, let go of yesterday's shoulds. You can start small and begin again.
[00:06:32] And for today, that is enough.
[00:06:37] Looking for more? Visit whatsworthwhile.net to listen to podcast episodes, learn from books and articles, and live better by choosing healthy products and practices. I'm now offering services through worthwhile advisors for personal coaching, professional advising, speaking, and group facilitation. If you or your team are ready to reduce stress and anxiety, build vitality and momentum, and accomplish your goals without burning out, then please contact me, Ramsey Zimmerman, through the website or on social media like Instagram X or LinkedIn. Thanks, Ra.
