How to Develop Motivation that LASTS
We’ve all been there: you wake up one morning and you set a goal. You are tremendously excited to reach this goal, so for the next week or so, you do every single thing you can do move towards it. Maybe your goal is eating a more balanced diet, so you spend hundreds on groceries and eat like a health food blogger every single meal. Or maybe your goal is to work-out every day, so you wake up at 4:30 every single morning and head to the gym.
But after about a week or so… it happens. The dreaded lack of motivation. You wake up for your early morning workout and decide it’s too hard, so you snooze your alarms. Or you get tired of meal-prepping, so instead of grilling the chicken you’ve been saving… you head to McDonalds and get some chicken nuggets.
We’d be lying if we said that that’s not something that every single one of us has experienced. Sometimes we just set the bar a little too high, and our motivation can’t stretch far enough to reach it! While taking a break from kicking butt every now and then is completely fine and expected, there are plenty of ways to keep your motivation a constant, so you can keep waking up and accomplishing your goals.
Make a Morning Routine!
One of the easiest ways to start your day with a big burst of motivation would be to establish a morning routine! If you’re anything like me, your morning routine might consist of lying in bed on your phone for an hour, snoozing your alarms, and scrolling mindlessly through social media until you have 15 minutes to get ready. Yes, you’re not alone- I think we’ve all been there! Needless to say, starting every day like this doesn’t necessarily set you up for success, but creating a simple morning routine that bolsters confidence and encourages creativity will help you start the day off on the right foot.
A motivational morning routine should be one that gets you moving, gets you thinking, and gets you ready. Consider adding meditation into your morning routine, whether it be guided meditation or some deep breathing exercises that help you focus on your body. If you’re interested in the ways meditation can help you improve your health and wellness, check out the full blog post on Mindfulness Meditation we shared earlier! Another way to encourage mind/body interaction would be to add some exercise to your morning, even if it’s just a quick yoga session or a short run to get your blood pumping.
Next, try getting the creativity flowing by reading something that interests you or writing in a journal. Taking some quiet time in the morning to read something you’re interested in or write about what you’re thankful for will remind you why you’re reaching for your goals in the first place! Finally, a wonderful way to motivate yourself for the oncoming day is to visualize your goals. Visualize how it will feel when you accomplish them, and how happy and proud you will feel. Visualize each step of your journey and how far you’ve come. Visualization is a wonderful tool that can help you feel like your best self and can make the journey far, far easier.
If implementing all of these elements feels a little overwhelming- we get it! Try integrating them slowly, and see how each of them improves your day. Visualization is one of the easiest steps to take, so maybe try visualization exercises first, then meditation, then reading, then exercising. And remember, everybody’s different- don’t worry if they don’t all work wonders for you. That just means you’ll have to explore some other options!
Schedule your Stuff!
This step might sound a little tedious, but trust me, it can work wonders! Start making time to do the tasks that help you achieve your goals. If you need motivation to work-out, schedule pre-set times every day you need to exercise. Plan everything around this schedule so that your day relies on this one little habit- it’ll make you realize how important it is that you stay accountable! Hang little reminders around your house, or set reminders on your phone, that tell you when and where this habit must take place. If you need to work-out after work, set reminders on your phone throughout the day that tell you when and where you’ll exercise. This simple act of scheduling your routine will take small, seemingly unimportant actions and make them an integral part of your life. Once you get used to following a set routine, you’ll be able to happily achieve your goals and get a daily dose of motivation that we all need!
Get other people involved!
One of the best ways to stay motivated is to surround yourself with people that know about your goals and want you to accomplish them! If you have roommates or a partner living with you, tell them what goal you want to accomplish and what steps you need to take to reach that goal. They will be able to check in on you and help you stay accountable, even when you don’t feel very motivated. You could even seek out someone who’s striving for the same goal, and you could work together towards the goal! There’s nothing better than having a friend who will push you to be the best version of yourself.
This step could also mean hiring a coach to help you get where you’d like to be! A coach can help motivate you, lift you up through the rough patches, and give you all the tools you need to succeed. Whether you want to get in great shape, get your health in check, or just see how far your body can take you, a health and fitness coach can help you kick butt daily and feel your best, and we strive to help you achieve all of those things here at Athena Fit!
Be nice to yourself!
Finally, it’s important to realize that it takes a while to get where you desire to be. Results aren’t going to happen overnight- real change is going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort! It can be so difficult to keep motivated while trying to accomplish your goals, and sometimes, it can feel like the road is too difficult to keep traveling. So while you’re reaching for the stars, remember to be kind to yourself. Taking little steps to stay motivated and stay sane are integral on this journey, and it’s perfectly fine to take breaks now and then. Just remember: you ARE going to reach your goals. You ARE going to see the results you desire. Take a deep breath, remember why you’re on this journey in the first place, and climb back into the saddle. You’ve got this.