What made me flip the switch and realize cooking isn't a chore was the realization that I don't have to eat a different or fancy meal every night of the week.

What made me flip the switch and realize cooking isn't a chore was the realization that I don't have to eat a different or fancy meal every night of the week. Find two or three recipes that are simple and that you like--for me at the start I did simple stir frys with a protein (chicken, pork, beef, etc.), frozen veggies, and stir fry sauce. Then just cook those meals every night of the week. Seriously, just learn to make a couple dishes and make them all the time. You will get very good at making them quickly and with little mess. Over time you'll get good at substituting or modifying them if you want to try something different. Grocery shopping is vastly simplified as you can just go once a week and quickly get everything you need for days and days of meals. Don't be ashamed or afraid of using canned, frozen, etc. stuff that keeps for longer in your kitchen. These are weeknight meals, they don't have to be fancy! On the weekends or when you have time and feel the motivation, then splurge and cook something extravagant, go out to eat, etc. Oh and be very critical of recipes you find online. You don't have to do the Modernist Cuisine or J. Kenji Alt-Lopez "best XYZ ever" version of a recipe that takes 50 ingredients and 6 hours of prep. Find the cheap and easy recipes--the Rachel Ray 30 minute meals type stuff. Save the fancy recipes for weekends or when motivation grabs you.