"The Curse of Can't Be Arsed"

I'm sure I can't be the only one who suffers from 'The Curse of Can't Be Arsed'.

First thing in the morning: out of bed and into the shower. Out of the shower, breakfast and coffee. Get dressed. Dry my hair? Nope. Can't be arsed. Tie it back instead. Lunchtime at work. Heat up the tin of soup I so carefully went to the effort of getting out of the cupboard this morning? Nope. Can't be arsed. Go across the road to the sandwich shop instead. Home from work. Cook dinner. Clean up after dinner? Nope, can't be arsed. Watch 'The West Wing' on DVD instead (and who wouldn't?).

You get the idea, I'm sure. I'm being flippant and funny about it, but I think it's something that actually warrants looking at in a serious way.

I didn't realise until recently how insidious a thing 'The Curse of Can't Be Arsed' is. Another (and perhaps better) way of expressing it is 'chronic apathy'. It seeps slowly but surely into every aspect of our lives until it becomes a way of thinking - a way of life even. It gets worse and worse until you come to a place where you can't be arsed with even the most basic things, such as looking after yourself and your home, eating properly and engaging in hobbies.

I'm ashamed to admit that this is where I am at the moment. My general attitude is apathetic to the point that were it not for some considerable support (and occasional needling) from my husband, the house wouldn't get cleaned, the laundry would never get done. I don't engage in my hobbies any more because I can't be arsed. I tell myself it's because I have a chronic pain disorder (more on that some other time) and I'm too tired - and indeed sometimes it is that - but more often it's just that I can't be arsed.

It's something I desperately need to get a grip on if I'm really going to make this work this time, if I'm going to change the way I think, change the way the world works around me, and change myself for the better, once and for all.

When I woke up this morning I lay in bed gathering my thoughts for a little while (I usually have a little time to do this in between my husband waking me up and then him subsequently suggesting that I haul my arse out of bed if I don't want to be late for work).

I thought about my new start with Weight Watchers, and just for a moment my brain started down its old familiar path - "I'm really not in the mood for it, I can't be arsed. I'll start tomorrow."

Aha. Gotcha, you little bastard. And so I grabbed the feeling by its metaphorical short-and-curlies and had a full and frank discussion with it in my mind, in the early hours of the morning. We negotiated fast and furiously for occupation rights in my mind, and eventually I won. 'The Curse of Can't Be Arsed' spent its day sitting outside in the cold. And I had a good, positive and on-plan day.

This isn't going to be easy - shaking off many, many years of 'The Curse of Can't Be Arsed' is as difficult as giving up anything else that you've done for years. As with everything else though, it's easier when you're not alone. Who's with me?