Lived Experience Forum

[Mazarita]

Hi @Teej, @frog, @Zaphod, @outlander, @Shaz51, @saturnzoon, @greenpea, @CheerBear, @eudemonism, and others who might struggle with motivation, as I do...

Actually as I look at those tags that I added from most recent posters to this thread, I can see that there may not be many of you who struggle with motivation for simple daily tasks as much as I do at times!

Nonetheless, for anyone who finds this useful, here goes...

My friend @eth has written about something in another thread that I find a very good idea. I thought I'd share it here for anyone who, like me, has a tendency to hit the forum first thing in the morning and maybe get distracted here for a while. Distraction can be a good thing, but sometimes it keeps from getting things done. 

@eth's idea, which came from her psychologist, is to do some things offline before coming online here in the morning. Today, for example, I made my bed, did my physio exercises, stacked the dishwasher and got it going, and updated my little dates diary with one or two things I want to remember to do. It's not that much or that hard, but I think it's probably a better and more motivational way of starting a day than coming straight online. 

Sharing with you here, for what it's worth to anyone reading. 

[eudemonism]

@Mazarita i really couldn't care less about achieving anything to be honest with you. The more resting, relaxing and sleeping I do-the better i feel about life, myself and other people...

[Mazarita]

Hi @eudemonism, I feel like that sometimes too, and have been known to sleep 18-20 hours a day for long periods of time. I prefer it when I'm not like that though, and when I do find some motivation or good ideas for it, I like to share. Wishing you well, in whatever way you find that at this time or any other. 

[eudemonism]

@Mazarita i can do my best to run and hide from the outside factors which i really dislike or am afraid of. But as for the inside factors... i think I'm stuck with them...

[eudemonism]

@Mazarita i get annoyed at all the expectations that have been placed upon me... i don't think i expect MUCH from anyone... but on the contrary... i think society has expected way to MUCH from MYSELF...

[Mazarita]

Hearing you, @eudemonism. I think contemporary society expects way too much of most people.

Having worked in a large variety of jobs in my life, and had breakdowns from most of them due to mental and physical illness, excacerbated to a big extent by the high levels of stress and demands for unhealthy speed and 'productivity' in workplaces, I live with some deep anger about the way society demands so much of us and seems to care so little for the effects on our lives.

Between jobs, and for long periods, I needed to live on the equivalent of Newstart with medical exemptions, which plunged me into often dire poverty. This was because my illness after breakdowns became longer in duration and much harder to recover from each time. I have been close to homelessness on two occasions because of this.

I believe contemporary workforces are breeding grounds for mental illness. I also have massive sympathy for anyone living on Newstart, as it is not a livable income, and I believe forces a lot of people into homelessness, not to mention the massive stress of having to prove one is constantly looking for work while in a desperate state of being.

One of the most fortunate things in my life was being given a disability pension. I had to try to get it for 18 months while very ill and living in misery on Newstart, but I have since found it a basically livable income, as long as I share the costs of my housing with someone else, though there is no security of housing for the future and rents have always risen faster than any increase in income I've had. 

When I look back over my life, aside from the damaging levels of stress and pressure from outside, my mental and physical health has always been intrinsically very poor, and I should have been awarded the DSP decades ago. It's probably still the case, but it was certainly the case back then that it was very hard to get DSP when young. The pressure on young people in society is immense, with very little compassion shown for young people who fall down, or consideration of how this effects their health and future prospects.

I could rant on much longer about these things, but I realise that these pressures I am describing may not be those you were referring too, or what you have experienced in your life.

Suffice to say, I agree that there are too many expections placed on us in this society, in so many different ways.

[Mazarita]

Hi everyone, apologies for my negative ranty outburst earlier. @eudemonism's simple words touched on a deep vein of anger I have in relation to my own life experience, and the suffering of so many others in our society.

In fact, at 56, I consider my life to be fortunate now. I am actually grateful to live in Australia, where I have finally been granted a pension that gives me some small measure of financial security for the first time in my life, support for my illnesses and disabilities, and relative ease.

While I still think things are not great in this country in very many ways, when compared to the plight of vulnerable people in other countries, such as the USA, we are relatively lucky. I also bear in mind that, even those struggling very hard in this country are still part of the top 13% of wealth in the world. My heart bleeds for the poverty, suffering and desperation of people in much more disadvanted places in the world, such as war zones and the very much poorer societies and nations.

And, despite whatever pressures and suffering we experience, I still think it's best to try to make the most of our lives. So, with that in mind, I'll go back to trying to help motivate others and myself by mentioning that so far today I have:

• made the bed
• had breakfast and meds
• done physio exercises
• washed and dressed myself
• ranted on the forum

Soon I will be going to visit a friend, being picked up by her and will be returning by bus later in the afternoon. Tonight I will continue with a biggish task I have taken on that relates to my creative life.

Despite whatever wider issues there might be in the world, these days I think it's the simple things in life that matter most.

Wishing everyone good moments, and some motivation, in this day. 

[eudemonism]

Totally agree with what you're saying @Mazarita based upon my experiences of life and society, i have come to the conclusion that i dread the thought of any form of afterlife, and i also dread the thought of bringing children into this world; because basically they would have to suffer like i have suffered-and who in their right mind would want that?

[frog]

Woke up with a here-we-go-again-i-just-want-to-hide vibe

I need to set some small goals to get going:

• make bed
• meditate
• walk dogs
• get off computer 

@eudemonism @Teej how are you travelling?

Will check in later

[eudemonism]

@frog felt a bit like that myself. But have come good now. I'm going out for coffee in a minute.