What’s my motivation? …in 3 simple steps

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We all go through periods in our lives when we doubt ourselves or what we are doing, especially when presented with challenging circumstances like financial stress, relationship breakdowns or health issues.

Rather than just going through the motions of day-to-day activities, it can be helpful to check in with yourself to see what you are feeling and trying to achieve. Just like an actor rehearsing for a character role, we need to know what motivates us.  This can be on a daily basis or on a life scale.

In the book, The Happiness Trap, Russ Harris says:
When we take action on the things that truly matter deep in our hearts, when we move in directions that we consider valuable and worthy, when we clarify what we stand for in life and act accordingly, then our lives become rich and full and meaningful, and we experience a powerful sense of vitality.

getting motivated...
So it makes sense to take the time to find what it is that motivates us and keeps us interested in what we are doing. It could be working to raise funds for the P&C committee or starting a business or something as rewarding as planning a birthday party but knowing why we are doing it will keep us focused.

Rather than chasing happy thoughts or just being positive as self help books love to tell us, it makes more sense to look at what we want to focus on and why we want to do that.
But the process can be daunting so needs to be broken down into simpler steps.

My sister, Sarah, is a personal trainer and one of the things she gets her tribe of women to do at the start of her program is to focus on getting to ‘know yourself’. They pose big questions like ‘What do you hope to achieve in this program?’ and ‘What are you most scared of?’
In looking at these aspects of training, it helps to actively focus the mind as well as the physical body on the task ahead.

...helps others to get motivated
If it is difficult to answer these questions on our own, it might be due to a lack of clarity because we can’t picture what it is that we want.
It can help to keep a diary to write things down that inspire us. Or keep images from magazines or the internet to create collages.
And practices like self-reflection and mindfulness can help stimulate the pathways in the brain for motivation. 

To find what motivates you, try the following:
1. While relaxed or meditating, think about a big idea or desire that has the deepest meaning, purpose, and value to you
2. During mindfulness meditation or through writing in a journal, think about why that idea resonates for you or what it means to you
3. Write down your answers to the first 2 points then review them daily or when you feel they need revising to see that it still holds the same meaning for you

When you can articulate the reason why you want to take action, you will be more motivated to focus on your desires and follow through to complete your ideas. 

By E K Wills
Author and Mum
https://www.amazon.com.au/Mums-Word-Secret-Diary-Mother-ebook/dp/B06X6B5SCC

To learn more about the fitness and wellness program cited here, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/sarahwhealthandfitness/

http://wtribe.com.au/

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