[outNabout]

Feeling like this I wasn't feeling like getting out of bed and doing anything.
I was not having a good morning until someone in the chat said, take 'baby steps'.

So I found some easy things I could do:

-brushed my teeth
-showered, shaved, combed my hair
-put some garbage outside in the can
-heated up some food

It's not much today, but it's progress....

What are your 'baby steps' to success?

One Day, One Hour, One Minute ...

Patient, Gentle & Kind ...

Two mantras I repeat to myself often throughout the day.

[Leed]

Do just what you can do. Like Pfrog said, take it one minute, one hour, or one day at a time. That's all anyone can do. To do anymore is useless.

[Permanent Pajamas]

I close my eyes for a moment and picture myself sipping hot tea at a little kitchen table next to a big window. Sometimes I also look at the thin slice of lemon in the teacup and imagine it is a little sun.

Once I'm at ease I do one thing. That's about all I can handle most days.

[shortandcute]

taking a shower
making my bed
washing the dishes
keeping a checklist of things to do

[Ladyzero]

From one who is taking baby steps, I have no choice, as found myself so weak, so frail, simply through inactivity. I spent a year in bed literally. Only getting up to wash, or shower and to ping something to eat in the microwave. Now I am taking baby steps. With lonliness and nothing to get up for it's hard. A ten minute walk to the shop kills me. Now on day 5 since I even got up, dressed and went out. Physically I am so weak, all through inactivity. Today I managed to hoover, a bit. That nearly killed me. I just managed to shower at gone 9pm, and am exhausted. Am now in bed, but I took baby steps. Don't run, before you can walk.

[TheRealFDeal]

Sometimes you can't even do baby steps and have to accept that. Today I feel so apathetic. I stayed in bed until 3pm. What usually gets me out of bed on the weekend is when I start having bad dreams or continuously bad thoughts. Then I move to the couch and turn on the TV to distract me. That's what today is like. At a minimum, I try to go sit at Starbucks with my computer for a couple of hours, but that wasn't in the cards today. I threw on some clothes and went through the drive-thru for my coffee. I've accepted that this is all I can do today. Tomorrow will be better because I will have work to distract me. I do feel some worth there and that's probably all that is driving me right now. But today is simply to be gotten through.

[GreyThinker]

Sitting up on the side of the bed is my first daily hurdle...then putting on shoes. Shoes mean I am psyching myself up for a walk which I know is good for me but.... Some days I dont get past the couch but the intention is always there. Checking in here has become a step in doing something.

[RJ78]

eat oatmeal for breakfast.
come on psychcentral.
call my family.
walk around the block.

["Tilly may"]

I too make a little list. Then I check things off as i do them and that makes me feel the accomplishment.
have a bath, make coffee, get dressed,

I like the visual of the lemon in the tea that someone mentioned. Its good to visualize happy places and things.
know that we are taking baby steps too.
Cyn

[2_b_free]

I keep a calendar/planner to write down appointments/ to-do/ plans. Weekends plans with friends are ones that I don't back out of. Usually try to get a ride, so I have to be ready when friends get there. Many times I wake up not wanting to go, so I tell myself this is a step towards getting better and I will have a good time. When my mind starts making excuses not to do something, I say "stop, do it, continue life" this phrase works for everything from putting a glass back in the kitchen to following through on vacations.

Sometimes I just need to reach out to someone else--even by text or email--and know that I AM connected to the world, even when I feel down and "muffled up" and tired. Now I can also access this forum to help feel connected.