how to keep motivated when you don't want to do things

You do go to the gym and swim and that's a very good start which means you can go out from time to time. I don't have PTSD, although some experiences in my life could have led me there, but I think my issue has been social anxiety. What has helped me is to be here like you and dancing. I like dancing, so I have used it as a way to integrate myself with other people on the dance floor ( I don't dance much anymore, but when I was younger I did). Also, what has helped is helping kids ( I learned a lot from them).

There's a friend of mine who had things happen to him in his past, that he still lives as though they just happened yesterday. And he's able to remember exact details, and he gets very animated over things that happened to him 25 years ago.

I've had things happen to me in my childhood, but holding on to those things, getting mad over what has already transpired, is unhealthy. In life, we are always moving forward. I personally feel like getting and staying mad over events that happened 20+ years ago, is just putting in negative energy, and that kind of thing makes me get physically exhausted. This friend of mine is extremely animated over the way politics in the US are right now.

And again, it's just negative energy that I can't put in. I see it like this: What's the point in getting mad? What is that truly going to solve? So, I try to put out positive energy where I can. Now I will say that yes, I am very unhappy with the way things are being handled politically, but I'm not going to scream, yell and holler, and make myself physically exhausted. At the end of the day, it's my health that I need to worry about. And getting mad about something that will eventually no longer be a thing, seems like a waste of time and energy to me.

I do understand, if you've had things happen in the past. We all have. It sucks, and I wish I could go back and change things. But I think it's better to move on from the past, and try to have an optimistic outlook. With all of that said, there are days when it's perfectly fine to take care of you. Sleep in and relax, take a day off etc.

But when going out, try to have a more optimistic look at the things around you, and see them for what they actually are. There are really a lot of down to earth, normal people out there, who don't judge others, who are nice and kind. And I believe getting to meet and know those types of people, can be so beneficial :)