How many times have you found yourself thinking, “I just can’t get motivated.” “I don’t have the motivation to make it happen.”
Y’all, what if I told you there will never be enough motivation to keep you going every single day? What if motivation isn’t enough?
Motivation will forever come and go. We’ll have down days. We’ll have distractions. We’ll have celebrations and events. We’ll have….fill in the blank here. Because I think you’re getting my point. Motivation just isn’t always there. If we go solely off motivation to keep us going day in and day out, we’re not likely to meet our goals.
So then, now what?
My experience has told me you have to have a strong enough why and belief in yourself to make it happen. If you don’t have those things, even your days of motivation are going to be done haphazardly, because there’s no real direction or belief you’ll be able to continue on the hard days. The days motivation doesn’t care to show up.
So I encourage you to find your why; your big reason for your goals. What almost brings you to tears or makes you cringe if you don’t reach your goals?
Then pick up some personal development and start loving on yourself! Move your body, choose foods that fuel your body and mind. Don’t say things to yourself you wouldn’t allow your best friend to say to herself. Because y’all, our minds believe everything we tell it.
I promise it will be hard. Learning to love myself is quite possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Loving others comes easily. But if you don’t take care of you, how are you going to truly take care of others? You can’t fill from an empty cup.
I also promise the effort is well worth it.
Start making you a priority. Start with loving you. The rest will fall into place. Even on days motivation doesn’t show up.
You owe it to yourself to show up for you as much, and then some, as you do for others. You are worth it. You deserve the very best. You are enough. You are amazing.
Now, go look in a mirror and read that last paragraph back to yourself.
Motivation. We’ve all struggled with it, right? And if you’re like me, 2020 has made it especially hard to find motivation and keep it.
I recently asked in my free online group for fibro warriors what the biggest struggle was when it comes to managing health. Motivation was a big one! It can be hard to want to do much when you’re body aches and you can’t think clearly. Making changes, even if for the better, can feel so overwhelming and like too much work. I get it!
So, I thought I’d offer a few tips. Word to the wise though...motivation only works when you put the work in. It’s not always going to be easy, but it will be worth it. But let me see if I can take a little of the work and overwhelm out of it for you.
A few things you can do to get and stay motivated.
Find your why. Why do you want to get and stay healthy? Make a list and keep it where you’ll see it daily. If you don’t know why you want to take the steps to improve your health, motivation is definitely not going to be there.
Dig out an outfit you want to fit into but can’t. Don’t have one? Buy one. Seriously. I’m not saying it will work on its own, but it will help you keep focus on the direction you want to go. So, give it a try.
That being said...take baby steps. Don’t go crazy and dig out (or buy) something 5 times too small. Even if that’s your goal. Make small goals that will eventually lead you to that big goal. Same goes for nutrition. Don’t jump in all at once. Cut out soda first. Then creamer in your coffee. Move onto cutting out all added sugars and processed foods. You get the idea. Baby steps.
Ask yourself who needs you at your best. Who will benefit from you living a healthier life? I read a book earlier this year, High Performance Habits. The author suggests placing a post-it note with the question, “Who needs me on my A game right now?” where you’ll see it daily. I’m going to say there’s a good reason for him making this suggestion. Maybe give it a try. It just might help.
Keep focus on your end goal. How do you feel now vs how you want to feel? This will kind of tie your why and your goal together. Stay focused. Take the steps to get there in small chunks. And know that if you don’t give up, you’ll reach that end goal.
Know you’re not alone. Find a support group or person. Accountability and encouragement from those you know truly have your best interest at heart goes a long way. You’re welcome to join my free grouphere.
Have more motivation tips to add? I’d love to hear ‘em!
