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Have you noticed that a Lazy Sunday is a very good thing, but a lazy person is a very bad thing?
Anybody who doesn’t pull their weight, earn their keep, or paddle their own canoe is just disgusting at a time when so much needs doing…
(which is all the time, right?)
…they just need to get up off their asses and get with the program. They’ve got too much going for them to just sit around not doing anything. They’ve got brains and skills and abilities and potential….all that wasted potential. How the hell can they just sit around doing nothing? And they look as lazy as they are. Disgusting.
This is what I’ve heard other people say about other people. This is what I hear myself say about myself. And after swallowing enough of it?…it starts to taste like Truth.
Except for one thing.
There’s no such thing as a lazy person.
Active is our natural state. We’re built to move around and get stuff done. We have agile minds and bodies that autonomously prepare (and repair) for the next adventure—if we give them tools and time enough.
I don’t have medical research to back that up, and I don’t need any. I just know I’m most delighted when I’m preparing to Do, neck deep in the Doing , and chilling out after all’s Done. Doing does it for me and I imagine it’s the same for everyone.
And I’m miserable when aimlessly idle. I don’t mean resting or relaxing or daydreaming…those are active in their own way, and I love doing those. I mean when I’m apathetic or indifferent or bored.
When I’ve slowed down and can’t get moving again, it feels awful. And it feels unnatural. Like I’m feeling it happen to someone else. That’s when I know for sure that I’m stuck.
Like: STUCK.
Not: Lazy.
So.
Don’t call yourself lazy. And don’t let Them get away with it either.
Lose the guilt. Give Them the finger. Laziness isn’t a willful refusal to contribute and produce…it isn’t the cardinal sin of sloth.
Laziness is a symptom of being—
in Mourning
in Recovery
Angry
Exhausted
Embittered
Dehydrated
Depressed
Demotivated
Disorganized
Distracted
Disappointed
Conflicted
Undernourished
Uninspired
Unwell
Unmotivated
Uncentered
Unfocused
Undercommitted
Overwhelmed
and maybe just a little low on Mojo
.
How I Get Unstuck
I take a walk
I take a nap
I take a breath (or 30)
I knit
Sometimes I sits and thinks
and other times I just sits
Et tu?
What laziness dis-ease sources did I miss? Which ones do you feel? And what do you do to get unstuck? Lemme know down below…
Photo credit: kirainet
I think these are great thoughts. I’ve always thought that the term lazy is at the very least not very useful. And the tips for getting unstuck are superb. I notice how you, like me, seem to center yourself on domesticky stuff when the going gets rough. That tendency I had is what made me want to write on the topic. My feeling is that keeping it together at home allows you to go out in the world and do great things.
Oh lookie. My brother beat me to the punch.
Everybody needs a little extra Mojo.
Moriah Jovan´s last blog ..And now we’re blogging!
Wow, Crystal. This is exactly what I needed to read today.
Seems like I say something similar in my classes a LOT, but I say it because I need so much to hear it. As it is, we spent the weekend doing TOO much and not nearly *enough* lazy.
Fortunately, there’s another weekend ahead and I think I know what I’ve got “planned”.
Thanks a ton for the reminder (and the props)!
Hugs,
Jen
Jennifer Hofmann´s last blog ..The #1 sneaky lie that attracts overwhelm
@Dad — What a cool thing to notice…I missed that part about the domesticity. As you say, when it’s tidier inside, *I’m* tidier inside. A direct reflection of my brain, these little piles of this and that around the apartment that need sorting
So glad you stopped by!
@MoJo — I can never get enough MoJo. Nope, nuh-uh
@Jennifer — Hiya! Agreed…lots done this weekend, lots less to do on this next one.
And I loved your post of that #1 Sneaky Lie. So true, so easy to do, and now when I catch myself doing it, I wag a finger and say: Sneaky sneaky, but you ain’t gonna sneak on me!
—
And hey, one more thing I do when I get stuck: I tap in
That’s an awesome article! Very well written..thanks alot!
What an incredible post.
This is by no means original to me, but someone long ago told me to examine myself, pray, slow down, and stop when I am:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
Once again, fantastic post, that hits the nail on the head.
@Kurt — That has to be the world’s most useful acronym! I hadn’t seen that before, and I’m going to keep it in my pocket forever. Thank you hugely.
Well said, Crystal. Thank you for writing this.
Chris Anthony´s last blog ..Water off a duck’s back
Twitter: firstfound
When I get stuck, I find getting a little bit Zen always helps. Sitting, closing my eyes and concentrating on my breathing.
Of course, if I’m stuck whilst writing I do what I call the “rolling start” – I just type or write every thought as it comes to me, until the act of getting the words down fades into the background.
I had always enjoyed reading your articles. And very true lazy people are somewhat annoying. And your thoughts about it are so true, very enlightening.
@Rick — Thanks for reading! But read back through on how I feel about lazy people… the thing about them being annoying wasn’t where I rested my opinion, in the end
Well said Crystal. I can relate to one of your adjectives in your article…Demotivated. A recent change in my role has greatly affected me and at times I feel I am being lazy at work. I am not lazy by nature and I really enjoy being active and being on the go. I now understand why I am feeling this way. Thanks for enlightening me.
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@Chris — Howdy Stranger
Good to see you!
@Andy — That “rolling start” sounds like great advice to me…It does help to be a little (or a lot) less detached from the outcome, doesn’t it?…to just let it roll without expectations…
@Jennifer — Howdy and thanks! And also, glad I could help.
Hugs & blessings!
It’s interesting (to me) how we’ll have a big change happen, and then after we get through our initial response, there’s these aftershocks…some little, some big, some positive, some negative. And usually in there is some enforced quiet time, i.e. Laziness
Living in a country where people work long hours and often don’t take their annual leave, I think it would actually benefit them from being ‘lazy’ and doing nothing. I’m a great believer in ‘me’ time whether that is cooking, reading a book or doing absolutely nothing at all. There is all this pressure on us to be constantly busy and I don’t think it’s healthy.
Very inspiring I do know some people are lazy, but most have a good reason for being so. I sometimes get the lazy especially when it comes to physical labor, but most the time I am working. Anyway good post.
Fantastic post! I thoroughly enjoyed your suggestions to get out of a “stuck” situation. I find that if I can’t motivate myself to continue with the task at hand I distract myself and do something else productive for example go to the gym, clean the house, or run a few errands. I return accomplished and motivated. I’m like ‘Hey! I got something accomplished, I’ve got some positive energy flowing, I’m gonna keep that flowing and finish what I started earlier.” It helps me keep up my energy and get re-excited about the task that had previously gotten me “stuck.”
Thanks again for the great post!