Ways To Harden Up When You Start Feeling Soft

For some people, staying “hard” is easier than others. While one guy may be jumping out of bed at 6 a.m. every morning and getting to it, the next guy over may be slumped over and falling asleep in his bowl of ice cream.

As you age, it can be easy to lose motivation and energy. I am thankful to be at an age and in a position where I have enough get up and go to keep me active, but I realize that isn’t the case for everybody.

Here are some simple ways to harden up when you need a boost.

#1 Get Something Done

Find something that is challenging enough to stimulate you without being so difficult that you can’t actually finish it. It could be reading a chapter of your new book. It could be going outside to run a mile. Or going outside to wash your car.

How big or small the task is really doesn’t matter. If it’s reading 2 pages, or running a quarter of a mile, that may be just as good. The most important thing is that you have gone out of your way to do something positive for yourself, and have actually finished it to completion. And if it is something that you find slightly uncomfortable, that is even better.

Small wins like this can provide a good boost of confidence when you are feeling low. Even if you have had a lackadaisical morning or afternoon, making a move like this can get you back in the green before the end of the day.

#2 Get More Organized With Your Time

When you start getting into bad habits, dilly-dallying, and lollygagging, realize that in this moment, you are wasting time. Precious sand from your hour glass that you will never get back.

Make trivial decisions fast and with ease. Things that will have practically zero impact on the long term outlook of your life, such as what shirt you’re going to wear for the day, what you’re going to have for lunch, or what pen you are going to pick up and write with should be made easy.

Find quiet time for stillness but do so with focus and presence. When you start gazing out into the open air for too long and falling asleep, it’s time to get back up and do something.

#3 Take A Break From Something You Cherish

My Grandfather used to always tell me “the dog wags the tail, the tail doesn’t wag the dog”. When you start feeling like the tail is wagging the dog, it may mean that it is time to take a break.

A break can last anywhere from a day, to three days, a week, three months, or even a whole year. Maybe you decide that you are done with whatever it is for good.

Refraining from becoming overly dependent on things will keep you confident and strong. But the things you take a break from don’t always have to be things you are dependent on. It could be that you decide you are going to take a cold shower for a change just to switch things up, or keep your screen time to a minimum for a day just to recharge.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few simple ways to harden back up when you feel like you are slipping off the wagon. Don’t let yourself become a master of self-sabotage, wasting time and rotting away. Realize that small amounts of time can add up over time. Before you know it months, years, and decades may have passed by with practically nothing to show for it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope you have enjoyed and I look forward to seeing you on the next one.