Lazy?

Accompanying the hot weather of recent weeks, the little voice in my head that tells me to put things off has gotten very persistent. I was soaking some tomatoes to detoxify them and planned to soak apples afterward. That’s when that sneaky voice popped up and said, “you can soak the apples later.” Fortunately, the sensible part of my thinking caught that. Soak the apples later? All I have to do is take the tomatoes out of the bowl and put the apples into it.

As I lay on the couch reading and waiting for the dryer buzzer to go off, the load soon dries. The lazy voice suggested the clothes could wait until I’d gotten up for something more important, like a glass of water. If I did that, I’m sure the voice would come up with something new when I did get up.

That inner voice, usually known as the inner saboteur, is all about “later.” As if later things will be easier or there will magically be an increase of motivation. I admit I cannot see the future. And some tasks could be easier at a different time of day and motivation does have a way of coming and going. All that said, even when vital, I am rarely motivated by laundry.

While that little voice never goes away, it is possible to recognize it and ignore it. Or, if you don’t want to be rude, you could acknowledge it and then choose not to take its advice. When you pay attention to what your voices are telling you, seeing why you’re not getting things done is much easier. Also, when you pay attention, you take yourself off autopilot and allow your sensible part have a say too.

-Sydney Metrick