For some, it’s turned on full-speed like a kid who has eaten too much sugar and put in a bouncy castle. For others, it’s like a misplaced set of keys – you know you have them, you’re just not sure where. And then for some, it has gone completely AWOL, and merely the faintest memory of it remains. I am, of course, referring to motivation.
MOTIVATION
mo·ti·va·tion
/ˌmōtəˈvāSHən/
The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.
• incentive • stimulus • impulse •
It’s amazing how something that sounds so simple can be so dang difficult to conjure sometimes. From putting on your tennis shoes, to choosing a salad, to that one, last, dead lift, it’s that inner drive that nudges (or sometimes straight up body slams) you to do it.
Occasionally, though, that inner drive can be put in ‘park,’ and that’s when the real work comes. It’s easy to skip a workout, binge on a meal, tell yourself it’s only one day…..that turns into two…..then a week. And so on. You tell yourself you’ll start back up tomorrow. But, you find an excuse to postpone: the weather, family, a phone call, a tv show, a hard day at work, the dog, a broken fingernail.
There are thousands of reasons that you can find not to exercise or make good food choices that day, it’s finding the reasons that you should that seem more difficult. I say ‘seem,’ because that’s all it really is.
My personal motivation waxes and wanes just like everyone else’s. It’s SO easy to fall out of love with the gym and consistent healthy eating. But, like all relationships, there are ups and downs; it takes commitment, loyalty, and finding ways to keep it exciting. Whenever I’m struggling with my own demons regarding exercise and diet, I try to maintain perspective and call on the things that motivate me personally:
- The feeling after a hard workout.
- Lower stress levels with consistent exercise.
- An excuse to wear my favorite workout tank top.
- Seeing friends I’ve made at the gym.
- The sound of hitting the punching bag.
- Knowing I’m nourishing my body with smart food choices.
- Finding inner peace and acceptance.
- Higher endurance.
- The definition in my arms.
- Potentially being an inspiration to someone else.
- Upping my weight, even if it’s 5lbs at a time.
- BEING HEALTHY!
Nobody is going to do it for you. Self-motivation is a one (wo)man feat. Whether you’re an avid, active individual who is looking to reignite the passion between you and the kettlebell, or you jumped ship a while ago and are searching for a life saver to pull you back in, you’ve got to dig deep and figure out what you really want and how you’re going to get there. You know you better than anybody else; you know what works and what doesn’t, and it’s all about implementing what does.
Getting started can be the hardest thing in the world. Thinking about everything you have to do in a week can be unbearable. Knowing where you want to be in 6 months can seem impossible.
Step back.
Start slow. Take it one day at a time. It’s important to set goals, necessary even, but it’s also important to set realistic ones.
Take some time and discover what motivates you. Make yourself a priority. And then do everything in your power to show the world that you are, in fact, a force to be reckoned with.
That’s one of the beautiful things about The Sisterhood community: we are all here to encourage and pick each other up when we need it.
Self love mixed with self motivation are ingredients for success. It’s up to you to personalize the recipe.
We’d love to hear what motivates you! Leave a comment below or on our Facebook page!
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