I wasted my entire day.

What do you do with crippling laziness, lack of motivation, days that you truly flush down the toilet. For no reason?
How do you break free of the loop? How do you muster the motivation or mindset you need to not waste your life away. To be someone you're proud of.
As I venture further into my freelance endeavors, I find with great autonomy comes great responsibility. No one will know if I flush a day down the toilet or work all day in bed. But as the discipline slips and the lines become blurred, I sometimes find myself astonished at how much time I've wasted. How much I've done nothing and feel terrible about myself.
This past week, I found myself having one of these days. I'd done 1/10th the things I needed to do, worked too much in bed, watched too much TV, played too many games. I felt really really crippled. Defeated. Low. Shame.
The way I was able to turn a corner was to be brutally honest with myself. Turn off the noise, turn off the distractions and listen. Look at what was really happening. Then admit to myself - I didn't like myself today. What am I going to do about tomorrow.
I hope you can find this encouraging today, my friends.
You are the change maker of your own life! Let’s think more deeply!
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Take Some Action.

[@NerdsofWisdom]

I would even go so far as not confusing who you are with what you do. My concern if having to many days of not liking myself. ‘I didn’t reflect the best me today, and it made me feel bad..’ looking along those lines might help. I can still like myself even when I don’t live up to my expectations, and it’s because I like myself that I want to do the best for my life possible. Just thoughts. Thanks for the awesome vid and I really likes some of the shot compositions and how engaging the visuals with the audio were.

[@EricWen]

Amazing. Yes. A day later I’m realizing I needed to say this more. Pinning this so it can be added to the conversation. Thank you, David.

[@EricWen]

Stumbled on this comment again today. Thank you for the encouragement. I really needed to read this today. I confuse who I am with what I do a lot. Despite my best efforts, it still happens so much.

[@日日日-g7b]

Felt guilty due to laziness, literally typed "I wasted my day" in the search bar and this popped out. Great video for me when i most needed it! Wish more people would spread such messages more often. Really liked your editing and the way you gave descriptions. With the video being short and precise, it was a powerful and helpful speech for me. I can really see your channel rising to fame! The quality of the video is so good😊

[@arya.s.o.]

I have been stuck in my room all day and I had a laptop with me... (Can u see where this is going?) I literally just watched The Originals ALLLLL day. I feel absolutely WASTED. So I as well went to youtube and looked up "I just wasted my day". Still feel crapy about myself tho XP

[@EricWen]

Be kind to yourself guys. One day at a time. It takes time to find your purpose. Something that gets you excited to get up every morning. I also have my lazy days too. We’re all human. But tmmw is always a new day!

[@ashwinpande7095]

I did the exact same thing 😂

[@GauruvVirk]

I felt personally attacked when those scenes of you laying in bed on your phone popped up 😅

[@EricWen]

😂😂😂😂😅 I’m not looking forward to the day soon when I feel personally attacked by my own video 😅

[@Jesse_Lane]

This is SUCH A GOOD MESSAGE. Awesome video.

[@EricWen]

Thank you Jesse! Glad you resonated with it!!

[@sarthaksrivastava3877]

I just typed " I wasted my entire day" after spending the whole day on the phone and I found this video.

[@damn_jaz9895]

Me to man

[@Jesse_Lane]

I love the color and videography of this video!!

[@EricWen]

I didn’t need to color it at all this time? Isn’t that awesome? The light was so rich just all by itself!

[@BeanBeanMcBean3000]

watching this at 4:20pm feeling sad, I woke up at 9am planning to do stuff, but staying on my phone in bed on accident instead.

[@gpk-ld2lt]

This video's awesome. I did nothing today and i have my entrance exams in few weeks , but i was scrolling through my youtube feed . I really felt guilty ..... But this helped me a lot. Thanks. I needed this.

[@LivingLifewithJudith]

It is not always easy to really have a look at yourself. Sometimes, we tend to lie to ourself... it is an learning curve to admit what we want to change and what we don't like... But, doing this exercise is a necessity to our well being.

[@EricWen]

Yes!!! We lie to ourselves a lot. Every day in little little ways. Such an important exercise to our well being as you said to be honest with yourself.

[@highbaby4204]

Thank you 😢

[@Rayanx22]

" i didn't like myself today" i really liked that

[@rachelrawson8596]

Biggest fight of my life Eric I’m so glad you covered this issue!! :)

[@EricWen]

😅 same!! I have some lazy tendencies I fight every single day yikes!

[@KevinFremon]

Love the realness in this video, Eric. Really great tip to be ok with saying to yourself “I don’t like myself TODAY.” A brand new day with new choices is always around the corner.

[@EricWen]

Yes exactly!! Thank you Kevin! Glad something clicked in it for you!

[@JayLippman]

Dude I just came out of a 2 week slump where I was just straight up lazy. Or at least my version of lazy. A friend of mine told me that my "lazy" is still more productive than most people's hustle lol. I do think it's good to have down days though. Everyone needs to recharge. But you gotta have that self awareness. There's a big difference between "I deserve this" and "I need this."

[@EricWen]

Yes! I think you yourself know when it’s straight up lazy vs recharge. The past couple days it’s been very gross for me and slipped way past a “personal rest day”. I knew something had to change and i needed to not waste my life away in bed.

[@AshleyMurphyArt]

“Retreat” i listened to a podcast episode this week about retreating, take time for our selves. So these lazy moments I take as Gods natural way to show me where I need to be, retreating. Thanks for sharing these moments of you day with us Eric. My prayer is people hear from the Lord through the message you share here. Also, I believe this time of year has us all retreating....

[@EricWen]

Yes! I had quite an honest prayer a couple days ago sitting in that car. Really important. Really restful. Really refocusing. When He’s not the center, man! Things really don’t work and slip out of whack quickly!

[@TuckerPearce]

I love a LAZY day here and there it's when they become the norm that I'd start to worry and do some soul searching. I'm assuming that's what you mean here and not just a down day from time to time. Always enjoy your videos Eric, I like that they aren't hyper focused on one niche.

[@EricWen]

Yeah definitely something that’s not just a down day, I enjoy those and those are really important! Thanks so much for your comment about the niche! I keep feeling a pressure to niche down super specific bc it’s definitely help the channel grow. but I feel like these diary entry motivation coffee conversations are more what I want/need to make right now. I see some through lines emerging - encouraging thoughtful living, empowering the introverts and over thinkers as changemakers. That seems like a niche to me, I don’t think it’s gonna get more specific for quite a while. Just maybe embracing those through lines a lot more.

[@TuckerPearce]

@@EricWen I like that plan a lot. You're a great story teller and I like how you pull your videos together in the edit.

[@FrankFerendo]

Lately I've felt like I was in Groundhog day... I keep trying to figure out what the lesson I need to learn in order to move on to the next level (the next day... the break in the cycle).

[@EricWen]

I hope this was helpful for you my friend! I get caught in this Groundhog Day cycle quite a bit myself!

[@clarkeemalarkee]

Definitely feel this. Always have to have compassion and empathy for ourselves balanced with the intent to push ourselves to be better and that can be really tricky sometimes. Great video!

[@EricWen]

Yes thank you! It’s a double edged sword to be constantly wanting to self improve and having the awareness when something is off. One of the major lessons for myself lately is as oh said, being kinder with myself. Kicking myself in the pants to do more and do better but without the shame guilt component.

[@thedanielprocess]

Love ur honesty

[@EricWen]

Same with you my friend. Long game - long term. BS always catches up. And I want my integrity. Authenticity even if it brings you some shit, is worth it.

[@thedanielprocess]

Eric Wen agreed

[@EpicKate]

It's been awhile since I went back to your videos from last year. This is so good. I spent so much time hiding from making some of my videos. I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn't know how it was going to come together. I would go on FB, I would watch Netflix, I would do extra house cleaning- avoiding the computer. It's hard to know if the avoidance was fear or if it was high expectations i had placed on myself for the quality and of the story telling. Feeling like I was under a burden. I haven't made a video that I obsessed about and avoided in awhile, so I think that's good. Anyway, it's cool that these videos are up here, that you can look back on these moments and see how you grew from them and how you are doing now. I bet you don't have many straight up lazy days these days! I hope you get enough recharging days though. It's so easy to get burned out, so don't be afraid to say no to things sometimes. Take care of your spirit and be kind to yourself.

[@Adaa512]

Great video 🌟🌟..helped me a lot👍

[@GeorgeHolden]

Great video mate, resonated with me a lot today. Nice topical b-roll in here too 👍

[@SamLucas26]

Dude, love this honesty. Cuts straight to the heart of what I think a lot of us struggle with as creatives. Keep crushing it

[@EricWen]

Thank you Sam ☺️

[@SamLucas26]

Eric Wen you’re super welcome dude

[@TheKevinShen]

DUDE I LOVED THIS!! Thanks for making yet another much needed video :)

[@thedanielprocess]

Fight the resistance brother... it will justify all “non- doing”

[@phillipwithstyle]

Mhm! Super solid video. Incredible script. Honest and empowering. For me I’ve taken to deleting apps. I download them when I have time to use them intentionally. And wow has that helped! I have more time to think, write, and reflect. To be honest and accepting with myself. To know and feel loved. I love your words and don’t think there’s a whole lot to add to the conversation. I’ll just watch the video again!!

[@EricWen]

Thank you so much my friend.

[@melissataylor6833]

So much yes to this! I can relate. 💯 Along a similar line of thought, a quote I like from @britnieturner is “everything that you run to when you’re terrified and insecure (Netflix, food, alcohol, social media), is everything you have to let go of to operate at the next level.”

[@sarikavishwakarma6077]

Thnx

[@thematrixentity0101]

That’s me everyday, wasting my life away like nothing.... I procrastinate, I’m so lazy even though I have so much to do and so many hobbies and things that could enhance my life, Idk what it is, but I feel like I’m dumb and stupid, even though people have told me I am smart, I feel skill-less, talentless and dumb in school and in life.... and I think I’m afraid to fail even though I’ve failed and succeeded again and again, I just feel nothing at the same time and so much boredom, and I feel like I can’t learn anything so I don’t try anything at all so I just end up not doing anything...

[@EricWen]

You are the changemaker of your own life. If you don't like what's happening...it's up to you to rewrite that story. Your self esteem isn't going to magically fix itself.

[@notch156]

I think I could easily waste another day. And not because I hate myself.

[@CrystalKeim]

Love this video! Everything about it great work! Great wisdom!

[@EricWen]

Thanks so much Crystal!

[@smritichandra3372]

You're sooo cuttteee ❤️

[@krishnabasude9365]

This one is awesooomeee

[@EricWen]

😁😁😁😁😁

[@thedanielprocess]

Dope lighting

[@sollyrella4689]

Nice video.. just subscribed

[@majdalkaed]

You deserve more man more likes more subscribes.. Keep going you'll get what you deserve ❤😘

[@EricWen]

Thank you so much my friend. I really appreciate that! If you know anyone who needs to hear this today, please pass this along! :)

[@ehJoe]

I think its ok to be lazy once in awhile, your body and mind need to shut down and reboot, lazy all the time is plain lazy and then you have problem then you need to do something about it.

[@EricWen]

It was definitely starting to be a pattern and is something I always have a temptation to slip into. In this case it was definitely slipping past a rest or personal day, I needed the kick in the pants. Thanks Joe for the distinction!

[@MOXASHI]

Like ur vids from🇬🇧

[@guestaccount4482]

I feel like I need to do more there's so much to do and yet..

[@Tyro74]

thank you for this video man.

[@JayLance]

OK... I want to make sure I say right up front that I agree with everything you've said... But... But. I want to add something in to what you've said that I think is super important without taking away from the truth you've spoken. Recorded. Video'd. Whatever. Lol! Can I do that? (I'm assuming you've said yes, FYI.) 😉 I work with a lot of creatives both in the context of my job as a professional "Herder of Creatives," and with a side hustle as a coach to creative people... By-and-large creative people at our level have a certain amount of ambition and drive that is often what I would consider "more than average." And very often this means we're the sort of people who consciously, or unconsciously ignore the concept of "seasons." Seasons. As in "there is a season for everything." A season for the hustle. A season for the grind. A season to work our butts off and grab for that brass ring. And... and... a season for rest. One major thing I see over and over again is creative people who get stuck in guilty spirals of laziness and wasted days because they have not been properly building a season of rest into their program. And so what they're really dealing with when they're losing entire days to just laying in bed, or periods of time when the creative spark just isn't there... is burnout. Subtle burnout. But burnout nonetheless. This can be a particular problem for young creatives because there's a LOT of candle to burn at both ends... You guys can still pull all-nighters, get up , and do it again. Live on coffee and subsist with a nap every couple of days. Eventually (when you get to be an old guy like me) the body simply won't let you do that anymore and you're forced to rest more. Or suffer getting sick. Or worse. But... Even for you young'uns... Seasons are important. So... again... Not *at all* to take away from anything you've said. It's all good stuff. It's all needed conversation, and introspection. Plus, I know your character well enough to know that you know the difference between rest and lazy and are honest enough with yourself to "diagnose" yourself correctly. I just work with enough folks who are wrestling with burnout that I wanted to make sure I advocate for the practice of building in and then taking purposeful rest as part of the introspection process for others. Rest ≠ Lazy! I appreciate you, Eric! Hope I didn't sound TOO much like a crotchety old creative! Lol! P.S. Sorry to write a novel. Sheesh, I'm long winded sometimes. 🙄 P.P.S. I see you there watching 'Maniac" on Neflix! 😉

[@EricWen]

I LOVE this comment and perspective. Thank you so much, Jeff. Sorry if i don't get to everything in this comment, there's just so much here. I admit that I probably put a lot of extra pressure on myself because of my aspirations and what I know I'm capable of and you're right, I probably don't incorporate rest or seasons of rest into my schedule as well as I should. I do take time for myself and personal space, mental space etc I'd say better than most but I like how you said it's incorporated into schedule. It's an EXPECTED season. Hmmm i need to think on that. Subtle burnout hmmm...that really gets my gears going. Maybe that's what it is. I will say when this happens this is totally different than rest and taking a break for me, this is like literally flushing days down the toilet in bed playing a game or watching something till 7pm for no reason. That seems bad. But in part of the self awareness reflection I need to have, maybe I need to pay more attention to my energy and "subtle burnout" more thank you! The physical limitations and things I take for granted about being younger than you....now that really got me thinking. I won't be able to pull all nighters and eat whatever i want forever!??! WHAT NOOOO . Hmm maybe I need to pace myself a bit better and not abuse the advantages I have too much of being younger haha Love your thoughts Jeff, also don't feel uncomfortable about disagreeing. Whether you agree or disagree, bottomline, I really appreciate you making me think with your comments. PS. Maniac - can't tell if it's good or bad. The pacing is so weird. PPS. Just finished Haunting of Hill House tho - what a masterpiece that was.... :O

[@JayLance]

@@EricWen Glad there's things in there for you to chew on... I think you hit the nail on the head with the word "purpose." As in... I'm building periods of rest in. On purpose. And, yeah, the younger you can build it in, the better off you'll be in the long run. There's a book I read a few years ago called "The Body Keeps the Score," which is all about the science of how mental and emotional trauma gets stored in the body... and things that get stored don't just disappear... they manifest in other ways, later in life. Stuffing and coping is demonstrably BAD for humans. It may not be as severe as the trauma humans experience in war, but even subtle burnout is having an effect. But I don't mean to get too dark... Of course it goes without saying that it's easy to take it all a little to seriously, and really all of it is about "practice." Like Yoga is always a practice. Or (I'd imagine) a discipline like dancing is. Just like everything else in life, when we think we got it nailed then life comes along and changes something up and we have to re-figure out the balance. That's life. For better or worse... That's life. 🙂 I had a hard time with the first couple of episodes of Maniac and almost didn't continue with it. but what changed my mind is that I had a friend tell me it's intended as a dark, surrealist satire in a similar vein to Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil.' (If you haven't seen Brazil, BTW... You definitely should track it down, even if only for the visual style it's a masterpiece.) Once I started watching Maniac with that frame of reference it became very funny to me. The Haunting of Hill House scared me... in all the right ways. I can't wait to watch more. It seems to be everything that American Horror Story (with the possible exception of Season 1) wants to be... but can't quite seem to get there. Anyway, sorry again for the novel. I sure can prattle. Lol! You rock, my friend!

[@MasterEth]

Dude I feel that disgusting feeling in my stomach whenever I'm not doing something for like 5 minutes 😂

[@EricWen]

Lol you probably have workaholic overworking tendencies I don’t have then haha

[@MasterEth]

@@EricWen I definitely do yeah 😂

[@indyd9322]

Maybe it's burnout? It more sounded like your mind decided to take a break, rather than you choosing it.

[@JustWojtek]

me too! ...wait that's not a good thing, right? 😅 edit: self awareness = 🗝

[@EricWen]

😂 you got this dude!!

[@thedanielprocess]

Next time ur feeling lazy.... text me!!! I’ll pull u out😂😂😂😂

[@MOXASHI]

😂