“This is a waste of my time. I’ll never get better.”

“I need to do more. If I don’t pick up the pace, I’m never going to reach my goal.”

“I just don’t have the time to add ‘X’ to my day, and doing it for only 10 minutes is pointless.”

Do you resonate with any or all of the above statements? I sure do. I mean, I’m writing this because I’ve literally said all of them before. 😅

It’s so easy to beat ourselves up for having an off-day. We may feel lazy, unfocused, or maybe we’re pounding pavement and it just feels like we’re going nowhere fast.

I cannot tell you the number of days in this past year that I’ve said at least one of those things to myself. And when I do, I often start to spiral. Not only does it make me feel bad about myself, but it usually worsens the situation. My motivation goes out the window. I’m not happy with where I currently am, and I have zero desire to move forward. 

I realize that sometimes people find negative self-talk as a means to pump themselves up and get them moving, but personally – I think it’s short-lived. No one wants to do most of their day with an inner voice screaming at them that they aren’t good enough. That only takes you so far.

So if beating yourself up doesn’t work, what will? How do you change the inner dialogue going on in your brain that just won’t shut up.

If y’all have followed me for any length of time, you know that I love me some practical tips. So with that said, here are 3 actionable steps that help me get out of a negative loop:

1. Say what I’m doing out loud.

This comes from a method called pointing and calling, which Japanese railway workers used in the early 1900s to improve focus and reduce errors. By engaging multiple senses—speaking, hearing, seeing—they stayed alert.

When I notice I’m avoiding something (like ring muscle-ups at the gym), I’ll say:
“Amy, you’re avoiding this because it makes you feel incompetent. But this is exactly what you need to do to improve.”
Speaking it out loud creates awareness—and accountability.

2. Read old journal or planner entries.

This is why I always write things down. When I flip back through my planner or journals from a few months ago, I see how far I’ve come. Day-to-day progress is hard to notice, but written proof doesn’t lie. It’s an instant reminder that growth is happening, even when it doesn’t feel like it. That makes me want to keep going.

3. Change my environment—even briefly.

When I’m in a funk, physically moving helps. That might mean working from a coffee shop instead of my kitchen table, or just walking around the block. If you can’t leave entirely, take a quick walk—around the office, to the bathroom, wherever. Movement shifts energy and helps break mental loops.

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Your mind is powerful. It can pull you forward or hold you back. Struggling with motivation doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means you’re human. But you don’t have to stay stuck.

Small shifts make a big difference. Keep going, friend. You’re doing better than you think.