Inertia

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The real key is to live in an environment where the mind feels free to choose the right thing instead of being compelled by habit and inertia to choose the wrong thing.

~ Deepak Chopra

Do you ever feel incapable of executing the simplest of your day-to-day chores? Are you stuck and don’t want to move in any direction? Does it seem too much to start something new? The dictionary defines inertia as “a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.”

There are two ways to examine why inertia exists in our lives. One is that it can be an easy way out by leaving well enough alone rather than doing the hard work of figuring things out, growing, and changing for the better. We get mired in a multitude of inertia-sustaining habits. We procrastinate those difficult conversations. We find excuses to avoid exercising and other good habits. We complain rather than take action. It is easier to stay in victimhood or problem-hood than to solve or accept what is happening around or with us. If we embrace this approach, we stay inert, and things remain the same.

The other way is to think of inertia as a wake-up call. It’s about honoring your feelings while being open about why you are having them and where they are coming from. When we do this, we let our true selves tell us what we need and how to get there.

We are all going to have bouts of inertia for a variety of reasons throughout our lives. But when it hits us, instead of continuing down the ‘do nothing’ roadway, take stock to do some investigating. Is fear making the inertia settle in? Vulnerability? Worry about what others are thinking? Anxiousness about the future? Grief? Communication or relationship tensions? All of these are valid feelings and ones we encounter often. The more we can acknowledge them, accept them, let them run their course, and healthily reconcile them, the sooner we can make good choices toward abandoning the inertia.

My bouts of inertia crop up at various times. But usually, it is after a particularly busy or stressful time in my life. I am beginning to accept and welcome these times of inertia. I now understand them as a signal from my body to slow down and re-group. To acknowledge and solve those nagging feelings and fears. To become more present and aware. To notice what is important to me. To connect more with my loved ones. To meditate more. To fill my soul with things that light me up.

Over many years, I am slowly discovering that I need more and more time to recharge, not only my body but my mind as well. I have to keep tabs on myself, though, as I can get pretty comfortable being inert on the couch ‘Netflix-ing’! There is that fine line between pleasant enjoyment and escaping life that I must remember to keep in check.

When I encounter feelings of inertia, my first response is to recognize I might initially need a break. I let my mind and activity level settle down. Get a bit more sleep. Meditate for a bit longer. Go for a long walk on the beach. When everything is slower, I am more equipped to investigate and understand what fuels the desire to do nothing. When I can figure out what is trying to get my attention, the sooner I can try to resolve it. Whether it is a conversation with others, a conversation with myself, breaking down an issue into manageable parts, a distinct plan of action, or recognizing I just need a nap!

If I discover that this feeling of inertia arises after a similar situation from the past in which I responded similarly and which left the same uncomfortable feeling, a lightbulb starts to flicker. Hmmm... a different response might be in order! I should find a new, better way of thinking in these instances. Perhaps I was being too sensitive? Didn’t look at the other side? Misread the situation? Did not have all the facts? If these bouts of inertia are repeatedly arising from the same things, then some new thinking is undoubtedly required to break the cycle.

When we can break the cycle of repeating the thoughts or actions that drive us into inertia, our lives and those around us will improve. We can make the right choices instead of relying on our old habits that lead us toward stagnation and lethargy. We can choose how to understand, handle, and address the feelings that bring on our inertia. Doing so moves us from sluggishness to more beneficial places.

I like to consider this inert state a temporary place to let myself discover what is next. How do you handle your inertness?

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