Staying Motivated

Have you noticed that during the summer months human beings tend to let go of the discipline that rules most of the other three seasons? Even as we anticipate summer approaching, we begin to plan our long awaited vacations, or at least our chance for longer days, more cookouts, time with friends, celebrations of holidays, etc. Well, just thinking about summer and following spring surgery, I found discipline totally lacking. I didn’t write in this blog for the past two months. I kept thinking I would, but I was tired of writing and wondering if anyone was reading it. Where I live, the winter seemed to continue well into what should have been spring and I slowly lost all motivation. Thinking back on it now, I just kept meaning to sit down and write, or clean out the closets, put away the winter clothes, you name it. You know the tasks that you just accept doing all year, but which suddenly you just don’t plan for any more.
It caused me to think a lot about the “why’s” of what motivates human beings. Have you wondered the same thing? I suspect you have, as many times as have I. When fear is absent, no threat on the horizon, we are often lulled into a kind of inertia. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to feel afraid to have the discipline to keep moving on projects or things I want to accomplish.
So, what to do? Well, these suggestions are not cure all ideas, but they may help.
1. When feeling unmotivated, take a look at what your expectations are. If you don’t have any, it may be wise to make yourself set up a few.
2. Talk to someone with whom you feel safe about how you just can’t seem to get going. Often, talking out loud (versus to ourselves) helps us see more clearly what may be going on with our feelings.
3. Accept that for right now, you are doing what you need to do. Sooner or later, as I am doing as I write this, your mind will clear and you will begin again to make some decisions.
4. Take one new action a day after you have realized how much time has passed that you have not been very motivated. It doesn’t matter whether the action is large or small. It matters that you do something!
5. Know that motivation is a lifelong lesson and perhaps what helps us grow, both when it happens and when it does not. The point of life is to live it, all of it, not just the parts we like.
I’m glad to have found my way back to my blog. I hope you find your way back to something you feel Happy Summer!