Hi everyone, Schareen here!
My guess is that if you’ve come to this blog you’re likely struggling to find motivation somewhere in your life. Whether you’re struggling with work, parenting, school, relationships, or everything in between, staying motivated can feel like an overwhelming task added to your daily to-do list. Not only is motivation in short supply these days, but even when you can find some it feels like you don’t have nearly enough to get you where you need to be. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay. Just because you’re unable to find motivation doesn’t mean you’re not trying. We all go through times when motivation just doesn’t seem within reach, but there are a few things that I find help me to take off the heavy load during these times and I’m confident they’ll do the same for you! Here are 3 steps you can take to reflect and find motivation during difficult times.
3 Steps to Find Motivation
1. Accept Your Struggles
Let’s start by admitting that this last year, and these last few months in particular, have been really hard! Before you can get motivated to do anything, you must stop pretending that things are easy right now.
Although it doesn’t feel great to admit that you’re losing steam and unable to hit your goals (whatever those may be), accepting this can be what allows you to refocus your energy. You’ll be able to move away from pretending you’re okay, to actually becoming okay!
If you’ve gone an extended period of time pretending that you’re okay when you’re really hurting inside, your confidence may be negatively affected. Click here to read our blog on 5 ways you can boost your confidence and self-esteem.
2. Be Realistic
The next step is to ask yourself if what you’re trying to accomplish is actually achievable. Ask yourself the scary questions like “Do I have the time to do this?”; “Do I have the skills to do this?”; and “Do I even want to do this?”
I call these questions scary because we might not always want to admit the answer (even though we know it’s true). Be gentle and kind with yourself when considering these questions, and remember that you don’t have to accomplish anything right now – just being is okay, too.
3. Reward Yourself
When we struggle with motivation, one of the most difficult things for us to do is reward ourselves. You’re probably thinking, “What is there to reward when I have no motivation?” Well, there are many things! It’s hard to recognize the steps you’re taking because they might seem small compared to your big goal. And let’s face it, we all love instant success and gratification. We can become so negative-focused when we’re struggling mentally that we lose track of the successes we have throughout the day. Sometimes a small success is getting up to shower or making a good meal. For many of us, getting out of our pjs has become a small success in the past year!
It is so important to reboot your brain to recognize the smaller successes so you can foster the motivation to grow. One way to do this is to use the “I’m Awesome Because …” list. This is a simple strategy to help you remember small successes and build on them so you don’t perpetuate the feeling of “I’ve done nothing today.” Here’s how to do it:
At night grab a piece of paper and a pen and write down “I’m awesome because …” Then, fill in the blank. Maybe you’re awesome because you walked the dog today, or maybe you brushed your teeth today. Anything counts! The next morning read everything on the list and start your day off knowing that you are awesome. Even if you only have a little progress, you’ll know that you’re further along than the day before.
You’re Doing the Best You Can!
With these steps I hope you can feel more confident in the small things you accomplish each day, even if they don’t necessarily feel like accomplishments. You clicked on this blog, and that means you haven’t lost all hope in getting your motivation back. While it can seem really hard to keep going right now, you are still moving forward.
For more tips and help with anxiety, stress, relationships and more, visit our YouTube channel.
We’d love to hear from you! Comment below or connect with us on social media and let us know how these steps went for you.
About Dochas Psychological
Dochas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dochas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Dochas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs are meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.
