I have been so blessed to have great followers that let me know my ideas and thoughts have helped them. I am not going to lie. I absolutely love that!!
Interestingly enough, probably the number one question I get is “How do you stay motivated and always do these tips?” Well in the spirit of transparency here is the honest to goodness truthful answer: I don’t!
It’s true. I am being completely honest.
I have times where I am really good and stay on top of things and take consistent action. Then there are times when I feel lost, or unmotivated, or (and here’s the big one!) scared – which keeps me from taking action. In fact, I am coming out of one of those times as I write this post.
I took time off over the spring/summer. I have previously written about how I needed to re-prioritize things in my life. I unplugged. I stepped away from what I thought was work (turned out it was a lot of busyness). But I felt like I had lost some (or even a lot) of my mojo. I questioned if what I was doing was really what I wanted to do. I went through fear, searching, introspection and eventually reinvestment in my work.
I eventually realized I had to drink my own champagne!
I had to listen to the advice I have been giving. I had to hear my own words through a lens that pertained not to other people, but how they pertained to me.
Here is the moral of this story.
Everyone goes through ups and downs. It is a natural law of the universe. There is ebb and flow, high times and lower times. So I went back to my basics.
So know that no matter what is going on, you can regain your mojo!
Again, here is my list of staples:
- Journaling – Getting fears, trepidations, and doubts down on paper helps to get it out of your head. When things stay in your head they can grow in scariness to unrealistic proportion. Get them down on paper and then they are easier to address. Journaling also provides a mechanism to vent. That helps relieve worry, stress and fear.
- Gratitude – List 3-5 things that you feel gratitude for daily. And remember these do not have to be huge items. They can be anything!! What are you grateful for – the pretty flower you saw on your walk, the awesome song that got you to sing in the car at the top of your lungs, list whatever sparked gratitude. And it’s ok to repeat items day to day. The point is to shift your mind from fear and worry to gratitude. Your vibe immediately lifts. You smile and don’t even notice it. Develop an attitude of gratitude! It will help.
- Reading – Take a few minutes every day to read something inspirational. For me I went back to books I continue to find great value in every time I read a chapter – The Success Principles by Jack Canfield, No Matter What by Lisa Nichols, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard. And you don’t have to read each book end to end at once. Even reading or re-reading one chapter can get you going again!
- Quiet time – Do whatever activity that grants you alone quiet time. Whether it’s exercising, or meditation, or whatever. For me long walks allow me time to be alone and reflect.
- Baby steps – Look for small actions to take. Don’t think of them as not big enough. Think of them as action, and any action moves you from where you were!
Remember – EVERYONE has highs and lows. You are not alone when this happens to you. Take the time you need to re-motivate and you’ll find yourself moving once again!
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEBSITE?
Just include this complete statement with the content: A. Lynn Jesus, CEO and Purpose Expert with Thriveology, is dedicated to helping people discover their purpose and live life on their terms. Are you ready to get started? Stop going through the motions and find your Why with her FREE guidebook The Life (and Sometimes Coma) of Why.
Loved this post, it felt so much like me! I was in a bit of a working slump for the summer and it was difficult to get motivated back this September. I’m glad I’m back now 🙂
I am so glad you liked it Gilly! Sounds like we were in similar cycles! 🙂
Great post, Lynn. Life gives us the highs and the lows. Once we accept that this is all part of living and learn how to deal with it, all is much better. I also say, don’t sweat the small stuff.
There is so much truth in that saying: Don’t sweat the small stuff. 🙂
What a lovely post 🙂 I’ve recently started journaling and it has been a HUGE help for me. I started my own business last year and it can be easy to get caught up in the day to day things like marketing and accounting and not see your progress. I’ve been loving taking the time, almost daily, to reflect on what has been going right. Thanks for sharing your experiences so openly with us! P.S. Love how you changed the saying to drinking your own champagne 😉
It sounds like you are definitely on the right track Catherine! Way to go. It is so easy to get caught up in busy work. That is great that you are taking time for active reflection. (And a former co-worker gave me the saying. It’s SO much better than eating your own dog food! Heheheheh! 🙂 )
I need to start journaling again thanks for the reminder and the post
You are welcome Shaunna. I am an intermittent journaler, but I find it really helps. Thanks for stopping by!
Love this I think i will start journaling again not sure why i ever stopped . thanks for the post
Awesome! 🙂
Love honesty and openness.
Thanks Roz. I am a big believer in transparency.
You are so right! We all do have our ups and downs at times in our life! It is how we deal with it that makes a difference. I like your list of staples. For me, I find what works for me is either exercising..a lot….and/or going for a 5 mile walk with my 2 little dogs. Thanks so much for sharing.
I love going for long walks. It is my meditation time.
It is wise to stop and acknowledge our humanness and the fact that we are not perfect. It is great to aspire to greatness but we can’t have it altogether all the time
So true! I love that: acknowledge our humanness. That is beautiful!
I think it’s wonderful that you can drink your own champagne, compliment yourself, take baby steps and still succeed! You are an inspiration to me!
Awwww thanks! I think the best learning is through honest sharing of experience. I am glad these posts are helpful!
Great post on how to become your own greatest asset and motivator. We often forget to listen to ourselves and the knowledge we have within from all that we learned. You have listed great ways to do that!
Thanks Meryl. I think it is imperative to really be able to listen to yourself and your inner monologue. Otherwise we can tend to get caught up in the noise coming from outside. And I believe no one should know us better than ourselves!
So true A. Lynn. Life is about highs and lows and the sooner we embrace and accept that, the easier our lives flow. The highs are exhilarating (I know all about that) and the lows, are not always fun, however, I do believe there is always a light that comes and if we keep following the light and knowing that “this too shall pass”, we would be happier more of the time. Acceptance is a wonderful thing.
Focusing on that light and not the worry or frustration that comes from the ebbs is an important lesson to learn. Darren hardy says: Focus on what you CAN do instead of the obstacles. I love that.