Have you dealt with waning motivation?
If you said NO, then you may have a problem with lying and that is for another day 
Motivation is the key topic of many posts, pictures, plans, articles, Instagram accounts (yes, entire accounts) and even YouTube videos.
Why?
Because we all feel this NEED to be motivated.
The interesting thing is that we are not all motivated by the same thing, so the magic formula for motivation is non-existent.
Sometimes, we may truly need a break from the normal activities of daily life. Other times, we may be over worked or over stressed. Illness can douse our motivation as well.
There is a whole world of things that motivate us and an equally large world of things that can seemingly zap our motivation in the blink of an eye.
I will confess that my own personal motivation has been at a low 4 for a while now.
I’m dealing with a body that has seemingly betrayed me, so my go-to of sweating it out just won’t do right now.
Valentine’s Day was spent recovering from a stomach bug that was brought on by what appeared to be depression (I use exercise to combat depression and it’s been slow going for the last several weeks), and I spent the entire day doing NOTHING but binge watching Netflix and throwing in one movie (one of the Hobbits as my daughter has decided she is totally Team Kili…..ah, young love). Please note: sitting and doing NOTHING does not make for more motivation.
So, how do you bust through a period of low motivation?
Here are a few tried and true tips that have always worked for me, but rest assured I am also calling in an expert to post this week as well
- Get outside. Now, I know some of you may be weathering the cold, but down here…well, I can get outside anytime at all. Research shows that even a short walk in the sunshine can help vitamin D production, which makes you a happier person to be around.
- Watch your diet. When I’m feeling down I tend to want to eat junk. Heavy foods or sugary fare become the norm and seem to perpetuate the sluggish state of mind. So, load up on fresh fruits and vegetables to give your cells a quick pick me up.
- Stop the deprivation. The term DIET above referred to your food intake in general. Now, if you are partaking in a deprivation or hard ruled diet right now, you are setting yourself up for motivational fatigue. Ditch the fad diets and eat for energy.
- Switch up your routine. Try something new. Go to a new fitness class at your gym OR try a different gym altogether. A fresh atmosphere can generate some newfound mojo.
- Check your basics. Are you getting enough water, calories, movement, sleep, social outings, etc? We need to make sure our basics are covered before we can shovel on the load of life. So take a step back and re-evaluate.
- Watch your drinking habits. I, as you know, love coffee and wine; however, these 2 things can cause a lag in hormone production which will in turn cause a lag in motivation. Try to cut back at least and maybe cut out at most (I’m going a month with zero wine to help reset everything) to give your hormones a fighting chance.
- Talk it out. If you have a therapist, go. If you don’t, then find a friend. Get the stuff in the basement taken care of so you can start looking at life with a fresh perspective.
Remember, motivation can be a fickle friend, so depend on creating HABIT to help you reach your goals.
To your good health,
Michelle