If you remember my April column, I nudged each of you to get curious with yourselves and your “why” behind your actions or inactions. This month I’m taking that to a level deeper and putting a new spin on procrastination with the hope of helping us all shift out of it and into action.
Many of you may have never suffered from this form of avoidance and just look at your to-do list with tenacity and the art of delegation, checking things off with little-to-no delay. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. I procrastinate on all sorts of things and let that invisible load of knowing I haven’t done it yet get heavier and heavier.
As a highly-sensitive person who likely has undiagnosed ADHD, I have done this my whole life. As I’ve mentioned many times, I also learned avoidance from watching my parents. In past years I would beat myself up over the times I procrastinated, internally call myself names, and find some strange way to self-punish, like not doing something that brought me joy.
Not once did those methods ever motivate or inspire me to act.
After over a decade of inner work and growing my self-awareness, learning from the top in their field, and seeing this consistently in my clients, I’ve learned there is a much better way to shift out of procrastination.
Curiosity as to the why behind it and grace for where you are and how far you’ve come are the foundation.
I then ask myself a series of questions. Am I tired? Have I skipped my workouts, meditations, or any meals? Do I need to integrate recent lessons more? Is it just not the right timing for this? As a highly intuitive person, this is often the answer that I just never realized. Do I need to ask for help? I’m still a work in progress on this one. Is there a better solution or choice that I’m not aware of yet? Do I need a day of fun and play? What am I afraid of?
What I find, when I ask myself questions like this, is that my procrastination is often more like a cover crop on winter soil. I’m regenerating and aligning with better choices and timing. I’m fortifying my soil nutrients and the capacity to hold more amazing things that nurture me and help me thrive.
Have you ever asked yourself your “why” behind your procrastination? Are you delaying the good because you don’t think you deserve it? Are you learning to trust yourself and your timing?
Deep diving into a journey of heightened self-awareness is the best way to uncover and shift this. I’d love to support you nicole@eloiandstella.com.
