How many times have you wanted to do something, or wanted to chase after a big dream you’ve had, but then you just…didn’t?

Maybe fear was holding you back. Or maybe you were battling procrastination. Maybe you were overthinking yourself right out of the whole thing. Maybe this is something you’re battling right now.

It can be tough to break out of a cycle of overthinking, and feeling like everything has to be perfect before you start doing what you want to do. It can be tough to break out of that fear. But you’ll never get anywhere if you keep getting stuck in the same place.

Sometimes it’s hard to just do the thing.

Below are some of my best tips for getting started so you can finally check that thing off your list.

Ask yourself what you’re most hesitant about

Sometimes when we can’t do the thing it’s because we start overthinking. As a result, a bunch of what-if scenarios might pop up in our heads, further preventing us from moving forward.

Thoughts like “What if I fail?” or “What if I’m making a mistake?” can be pretty daunting, and self-doubt can start taking over quickly. Maybe you find that imposter syndrome is rearing its ugly head and it’s convincing you that you’re neither capable nor worthy of achieving your dreams. (More on how to combat imposter syndrome here).

If fears like these are holding you back from starting, take the time to reflect on what you think will happen if you actually do the thing you want to do. Get honest with yourself. Write it all out. Feel all the feelings.

Sometimes just acknowledging our fears is exactly what we need to do in order to realize that, sometimes, they really aren’t as big as they might seem. Sometimes just acknowledging our fears removes the fear itself and you can get moving in the right direction again.

Take one small step forward…

When we feel really stuck, and like we can’t get going, sometimes it’s actually because we’re feeling overwhelmed. 

That thing you want to do? Maybe it seems huge and impossible to you right now, but maybe it will seem more achievable if you break it down into smaller pieces.

Of course, it’s super easy to feel overwhelmed when we’re thinking about climbing a mountain instead of climbing two steps up a staircase, right? So, is there something you can do right now that can be that first step you need to get started? 

Are you dreaming of opening a business but can’t even begin to fathom how exactly you’re going to make that happen? Maybe your first step is coming up with your business name. Have you always wanted to write a song but never wrote one before? Find a local writer’s round and get your feet wet that way.

When we can break down our biggest dreams into smaller, achievable goals, and then we achieve one of those goals, it gives us an important sense of accomplishment and fills us with the excitement that’s going to help us to keep moving forward.

Or… take a step back

Sometimes we get so deeply involved and invested in something that we start losing perspective. Small obstacles might start becoming bigger in our minds than they are in reality, and we might start believing that they’re impossible to overcome. Basically, we start psyching ourselves out. Big time. 

If you’ve been thinking and thinking and thinking about the thing you’re thinking about doing, take a break and do something different. Get out of your head! Take a walk, watch a movie, go out to dinner with a friend. Anything. It will give your mind a much-needed breather, allowing you to refocus.

Meditate

Meditation is most commonly known as a coping method for stress and anxiety, but it can also be an important tool when it comes to accomplishing our goals and chasing after our greatest dreams.

Taking a moment to ground ourselves in the present moment can help shift our perspective and see that thing we want to do in a different way. Maybe you’ll realize you were approaching it all wrong and you’ll discover a new road to take that will allow you to achieve your goal even faster.

Maybe you’ll realize that everything happens at the time it’s meant to happen.

Maybe you’ll find a new sense of patience that will help you keep chugging along, rediscovering the drive within you to make your dream come true.

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It’s natural to feel stuck and overwhelmed, but when there are things you want to do, sometimes it’s difficult to get them done. Don’t let a little hesitation or setback get in your way, because there’s no worse regret in life than not trying. You’ll be so glad you did.