Everywhere we turn, people are telling us to live our best life. There’s a push to be more, do more, have more. Social media is filled with snapshot reels of folks doing the damn thing and if you’re not solid and clear on who you are and what you want, you can fall in a comparison trap that will leave you feeling less than or inadequate.
My advice to you is this: don’t believe the hype, but don’t do nothing.
If you’re ready for a change, something different but you haven’t mustered the energy or commitment to take consistent action, know that you can do better. We all can. But, the excuses, or reasons, keep you comfortable. For example, you tell yourself that your team needs you; you can’t leave now. The kids are too young. The stars aren’t aligned. The clock hasn’t struck twelve. You’re waiting for the uncertain to be certain. Ask yourself, are you stuck or unmotivated? Either way, you need to get re-energized.
Here are five tips to help you get unstuck and motivated to reach your goals, before the year ends.
1. Get inspired
Motivation is when you get hold of an idea or goal and carry it through to its conclusion. Inspiration is when an idea gets hold of you and carries you where you are intended to go. Inspiration tends to keep you motivated and energized. Find your IT. Ask yourself, “ what inspires me?” and listen to what comes up.
2. Schedule a doctor’s visit
Some of us were startled by the suicide deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Depression is real and not so easily detectable. Lack of motivation is common in depression. So before you label yourself as unmotivated or lazy, go to your doctor for a wellness visit, to rule out depression or illnesses that may be zapping your mental or physical energy thus your motivation. Make your health - mental, emotional, financial, physical, spiritual - your priority and self care a daily practice.
3. Practice self-awareness and self-reflection
Pay attention to yourself, your thoughts, feelings and reactions. The goal is to be aware of your feelings and build a emotional vocabulary to self-regulate and propel you forward towards epic living. Who do you surround yourself with? What music do you listen to? What news /information are you taking in? Is it negative or positive? Who do you follow on social media? Do the profiles make you feel happy, sad or indifferent. What are your daily habits? Are they setting you up for progress, stagnation or worse keeping you stuck in a rut. Taking time to engage in self-reflection helps you become more aware, hence overcome what may be keeping you stuck or unmotivated.
4. Make a commitment
Motivation can wane, inspiration may change but commitment tends to overrides feeling. When you’re really committed to something, you’re dedicated and less likely to quit when things get tough. Recently, I’ve committed to going to the gym four days a week. Whenever I’m about to say “I don’t feel like it”, I quickly replace it with “I’m committed” and push through, focusing on my WHY. What’s one small thing you will commit to now?
5. Speak life and progress
Speak life and progress instead of death and stagnation. Whatever you speak comes back to you. If you speak negativity, it will beget more negativity. For example, instead of saying I’m tired, I don’t feel like going to the gym, writing a blog post or attending that networking event, instead say, I’m going to do set aside one hour for the gym, writing because I’m committed. Instead of I hate my job, I’m not going to work, say I’m taking a day off to re-energize and look for career opportunities that's more aligned with my values and interests. The key is to stay optimistic, be positive, focus on progression and speak life to our thoughts.
The bottom line is this.
We all ride on the struggle bus when it comes to motivation and consistency. I’ve been there for sure. It took me six years to complete a three year Master’s degree. But once I made the decision to commit, I got determined and finished with ease no longer allowing excuses to sidetrack me. And you too, can overcome unmotivation and eventually transition into your epic life, using the five tips above.
Photo via Unsplash.