On the difficulty of doing things:

People seek out therapy for many different reasons. A common reason is finding it difficulty to complete daily tasks that used to seem "simple." In fact, my clients often share that getting out of bed in the mornings can be one of the hardest parts. Picture it, laying in a comfortable bed, before the responsibilities of the day begin, knowing that when you step out, the day begins. It is easy to jump to the items on your to-do list: take the dog out, get the kids to school, make that doctor's appointment you've been putting off, feed yourself (and maybe your family, too). It's no wonder many of us experience apprehension when thinking through these tasks.

But what if we broke it down? What if we did just one task before moving to the next, even in our mind? In the psychology world, we call it "doing the next right thing." No one can complete all of their tasks in one sitting. If they do, more will simply come up. Instead, the best thing we can do is complete the task that is right in front of us. For many people, that is taking the step to get out of bed. Then turn the coffee on. Then do whatever needs to come next for you in that moment.

While this may not seem groundbreaking, what many people find is that by implementing a structured "next step," the rest comes more easily. The responsibilities of the day may not change, but the space that they consume in your mind might. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part.