How the hell do you get motivated, or strong-arm yourself into doing what you need to do regardless of how you feel?

I always feel tired and overwhelmed these days, and despite the fact that I want better for myself, it's easy to put off doing what I need to do or do something I'm trying to minimize or phase out, only to tell myself "I'll try to do better tomorrow," but it's EVERY DAY. I'm so sick of this, but I give in way too easily. Somewhere along the line in my youth, I became a quitter and started giving up extremely easily, and it's become horrible for me. It was around the time I lost all of my self confidence. Or was robbed of it, I don't know. I was constantly told I was not capable and couldn't do things without assistance, despite it not being true, but it impacted me and now I don't know how to retrain my brain to let go of that BS and be the go-getter I used to be. I just feel like I'm letting life happen and I'm too tired, unmotivated, and unexcited to do anything about it. Everything seems so far out of reach to me. I'm sure most, if not all of it, is in my head, but this has to stop.

Therapy is not an option for me. As a matter of fact, being put in therapy in my early teens is a big part of what caused this mess. I simply don't trust anyone enough to open up anyway, and I couldn't afford it if I wanted to. I need physical therapy more than I need mental therapy, and I'm worried about how that's going to financially drain me.

I feel so overwhelmed. I have a house FULL of shit people brought over when I moved in (stuff they no longer wanted in their house), and would not stop after I told them I didn't have the room. I should've just refused it and made them take it back with them, but I didn't, and now every closet in my house is jam-packed full of clothes and boxes, my garage and basement are full of boxes, and I feel like I'm being buried alive by the shit. I really need to clean out my kitchen cabinets and get rid of all of the kitchen ware I never use, and clear out expired cans and boxes of stuff. I just feel too exhausted and overwhelmed to do it. Where do I even start? My fridge needs cleaned out. Yes, I know, these are better problems than having nothing, but like I said, it's extremely overwhelming. I start, feel like there's just too much to do, get overwhelmed, shut down, and stop. I WANT OUT OF THIS CYCLE SO BADLY. I FEEL SO STUCK. Is there anything I can do for myself about this? I really want to kick myself in the ass and get what I want done.

itsok · 31-35, F

This may not be right for you, because you mentioned not wanting assistance. But what helps me are people.

If I’m putting off a task, I’ll invite someone over or FaceTime them.
If I can’t make myself clean out my fridge, or closet, or car, I’ll have someone come over and for a lot of the tasks I prefer not to have them physically help. Having someone with me motivates me to actually do it while they watch and we talk, instead of me getting overwhelmed and quitting.
If I’m too overwhelmed by making decisions to get something done, I ask someone to tell me what to do.
I also do the same thing for other people.

4meAndyou · F

I suggest massive ingestion of caffeine...🤣🤣🤣 JK. But it might not hurt to buy a bottle of 100 mg caffeine capsules and take TWO every morning.

Start by doing the LITTLE things you can manage. Once you see that you CAN do a small thing, you'll have a building block to go on. A bowl of jello doesn't go into your tummy all at once. It goes in ONE little bite at a time.

Feelings of being overwhelmed, and feeling like everything is too massive to handle, start because you TELL yourself it is too massive and you TELL yourself you just can't do it.

Start with the fridge. Once you see that the expired food is cleaned out, sit back and congratulate yourself! You'll have actually DONE something that you were dreading.

I was exhausted this morning, for example, and I really, really felt as though I could have a lovely LONG sleep-in, but I had to get up by 7 a.m. to go the food pantry and fill up my car with food for my neighbors! I DREAD getting up and getting out and doing that, especially when I am so tired. But I know I have to whip myself into doing it or my neighbors will be let down.

Self discipline is something that comes to you over time, and builds up like a weak muscle that you've never exercised.

I have faith that you can do this!

Don't forget that clean outs can be done by charitable organizations like the Salvation Army. They might actually send someone over to pick stuff up!

GeniUs · 56-60, M

This is similar to my situation although I invited some of it (in my case I was a bit of a hoarder).
For work when I feel up to it I start the job, yesterday I just kept feeling exhausted so I stopped but kept returning to it over and over, I probably got an hour of work out of myself in 4 hours of time.
For clearing out, the same sort of approach I try and hit one spot and even if I can just identify one thing, I get rid but I keep revisiting the same place over and over.
If anybody says is this all you've done? Yes it is do you want to give me a hand?