Is there a word for the feeling of that comes when faced with something new and you really have to push yourself hard to actually start and get into the flow of said task or situation? It seems to be the mental pressure or weight of some combination of dread, complacency and intimidation that causes a person to freeze. I suppose it could be described as generalized form of "writers block for life situations".
(Laziness is not the word, because it would suggest not wanting to start š )
I know what this feels like, but don't know how to express it, and it is highly frustrating!
Best Answer
WORD FOR THE FEELING OF DREAD/COMPLACENCY THAT COMES WHEN STARTING SOMETHING NEW (some combination of dread, complacency and intimidation that causes a person to freeze--TAGS: [meaning] [word-choice] [adjectives] [vocabulary])
Due to the wording of your request all single-word answers must reference either the āintimidationā or the āinertiaā factors of your request (INTIMIDATION aspect: trepidation; the newly-minted āarchophobiaā; INERTIA aspect: lassitude; enervation; torpor; neurasthenia), because no single word in the English language combines these divergent qualities.
Additionally, if "laziness" is not a factor (and, based on personal experience with this issue, I agree that it is not) because it would "suggest not wanting to start" then "complacency", the feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements, is also not a factor for consideration.
While your official selection, ālassitudeā, is certainly a gorgeous word, and both ālassitudeā and āenervationā effectively evoke the weakness, diminished energy, and depleted vitality OP seeks, āenervationā possesses two qualities which, to my mind, recommend it over all other single words offered: 1. āenervationā includes the sense of dynamic process, of becoming or increasing, whereas all other suggestions describe a static condition, or feeling. 2. āenervationā possesses a verb and adjective form (ENERVATE verb: to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality; ENERVATING adjective: causing one to feel drained of energy or vitality) which would allow you to gracefully combine the ādreadfulā aspect of your request with āenervation,ā i.e., āthe trepidation which enervates and saps the vigor necessary...ā or "the enervating dread forestalling your initiative".