In my previous post I shared 6 ways that I find my daily motivation. The tips I provided were not what most people would perceive how daily motivation is found. Whenever there is a setback or a new challenge, we need time to process and acknowledge our feelings. I often find that this crucial step is overlooked. This step is accomplished by allowing ourselves to relax, which allows us to overcome the initial shock.
In this post, I am sharing tips on how to move on from that initial shock and adapt an approach to help us stay motivated and to lead a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
Six Ways to Maintain Motivation:
1. Take one thing at a time – everything seems overwhelming in the beginning. I have learned (and am still learning) to prioritize and focus on one thing at a time. This helps to tackle all tasks, have more control and be more productive. I feel more motivated to work towards the tasks at hand, when working on them one at a time.
2. Exercise – just thirty minutes a day does wonders to the mind and body. I added deep breathing to my daily routine and started off with ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening. I found myself avoiding it so I reduced it to five minutes, twice a day. As consistency is the key to positive results and to stay motivated I adjusted the length of the breathing exercises. This helped when I sensed I was getting demotivated.
3. Journaling – writing down your thoughts in a diary helps clear the mind. I write positive affirmations in my phone notepad to shift my mindset to a more positive one. I won’t deny the fact that I love collecting notebooks, diaries, & calendars.
4. Eating Healthy – occasionally it is good to indulge in our favorite food. However, unhealthy eating habits can lead to feeling lethargic. The body needs nutritional food to function properly. I avoid eating out as much as I can by preparing simple snacks and meals at home. The key is to keep it simple and use whole foods to cook. Health is everything, and it is our real wealth. With healthy eating habits, the body and mind feels energetic. Therefore, we are ready to tackle challenges that might come our way.
5. Hobbies – all work and no play leads to burn out and there will be no motivation left to do anything else. I enjoy listening to audio books, watching TV, and of course, playing with my dog, Dahlia. It is gives me a break from my regular work or other tasks that require mental focus.
6. Meditation – a relaxed mind can think better. Deep breathing helps calm the mind. Spare yourself five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening. Sit with eyes closed and acknowledge your breathing pattern. Take a few deep breaths to relax the mind. You will feel an immediate impact of slowing down your breathing. I know that’s the last thing we think of when our thoughts are racing in our mind. However, if we train ourselves to immediately think of slowing down our breathing, we will have better control of our stress level.
