Fake It 'Till You Feel It

I've decided to nip a new bad habit in the bud.

For the last few weeks, I've been complaining constantly. "I'm exhausted," "I feel so drained," "I don't have the energy to go to the park/organize a family playdate/run that errand."

I'm sticking to my exercise routine. I'm going to sleep at a reasonable hour. I'm not sick. I've been trying the various tips I know about how to get a quick energy boost. I think that, from time to time, I just feel worn out. Then I feel better. This has happened before.

But I'm not giving myself a boost (or anyone else, certainly) by constantly repeating that I'm tired.

One of the critical pieces of information I've learned from the Happiness Project is that I should act the way I want to feel. If I want to feel more energetic, I need to act more energetic: pace when I talk on the phone, walk more quickly, put more energy into my voice.

This sounds like magical thinking, but hard science show that the "Fake it 'till you feel it" strategy really works.

The least productive approach is to do what I've been doing - dwelling on my feelings of tiredness.

Of course, if this tiredness persists, I'll go to the doctor. But I think it's just a periodic bout of lethargy.

And with that last comment, I vow, I'll stop talking about how tired I feel. As Samuel Johnson observed, "To hear complaints is wearisome alike to the wretched and the happy."

If you'd like to read more about happiness, check out Gretchen's daily blog, The Happiness Project, and join the Happiness Project group on Facebook to swap ideas.

Comments

[Backcaster]

Too bad it doesn't work for sex, the mind reels!

[jeskiley]

Norm Shealy says your muscles can't tell the difference between exercising in real life and visualizing the same repetitions in your mind.