What a good system feels like

Today was the first time in a while that I felt like I woke up in the morning without the motivation to do a lot of things. I was a few minutes late waking up and I didn’t want to go to my personal therapy session. There was a voice in my head that said, “missing one session wouldn’t be that big of a deal.” But I quickly got dressed, and ran to the health center even as one of my eyes was half open, and it was wonderful. Coming home, I usually would go to the gym right afterward but I felt a wave of fatigue and I was debating if I should do it and instead stay at home to read a book, just as I was slumping into a Youtube video, I also managed to jump up, bring my portable speaker, water bottle, and yoga mat and went to the small gym in the basement of my building.

Both activities turned out to be exactly what I needed and they made me feel so energetic and joyful, and I’m so thankful for the system I have built for myself that has the capacity to catch me and push me in the right direction even when I was significantly lacking in willpower.

That’s the power of atomic habits, and I will stop being grateful for adopting them. Onwards!