On Thursday February 8th, I shared with the group my most recent presentation entitled “ If Not Now, When? “

My presentation was all about trying to stay motivated. So, what does it take to get motivated, and to stay motivated? 

If I am having a really tough time staying motivated, I start with small steps, baby steps. For me it’s a very visual process. It’s important for me to write the things down that I want to accomplish. Every day! This is my way of holding myself accountable. 

    For example, I knew in the back of my mind that I had a presentation on February 8th, but had not even started on it yet. So, working on this presentation was on my daily to do list. It had been on my to do list for a couple of days, but I finally got around to starting on it. When you don’t have the motivation to complete a project or maybe even something routine such as house cleaning, it may be time to consider the reasons why you’re not motivated. 

    Try this…try asking yourself what you might be doing right now if you felt motivated. What would you be wearing? What actions might you take to complete this chore or project? Then try actually doing these things to see if you start to feel more motivated. 

      If you’re having challenges with staying motivated, you may have a long list of reasons why you can’t complete a chore or project. But there are always two sides to everyone situation. If you keep thinking that you’ll never complete a task, or you won’t be any good at it anyway, these thoughts will probably keep you from moving forward. How about making a list of the reasons why you’ll complete the job at hand? Sometimes arguing the opposite will help you see both sides. Maybe having a more balanced outlook will help you stay more motivated. For example, right now at home I sometimes struggle with staying motivated to clean house. Or more specifically, to de-clutter my surroundings.I have attempted to compose a list below of the reasons I will begin to de-clutter my home. 

1) by de-cluttering my living space , I’ll be able to locate important paperwork more easily 

2) also by de-cluttering it should lessen my anxiety 

3) Having a more orderly environment may encourage me to invite others over to visit more often.

4) a more orderly living space may allow me more time for other activities in my life. 

Self-compassion 

Some of us might think that being hard on ourselves will get us motivated. Actually that’s not usually true. Having a little more self-compassion can actually be more

Self-compassion is not the same thing as self-esteem. Try to think of it more as a way of being, or how you might treat yourself. Having self-compassion is treating yourself just as you would treat a friend or family when they make a mistake.  When we try and use a little self-kindness, if you fail to complete a task on your list, instead of thinking “ poor me”, realize that everyone fails at something every once in awhile. You are not alone in

Try the 10 minute rule… If there’s something that you really dread doing ( for me it’s cleaning the house) This is when you would give yourself permission to quit the task you’re doing after 10 minutes if you’re just not feeling motivated. Just not feeling it that day. And then the next day maybe try increasing it to the 15 minute rule? Eventually see if you can start to increase the amount of time you are spending on the job at hand. This can apply to anything you’re doing…working out, de-cluttering, cleaning, or maybe even mowing the

     Holding yourself Accountable….. Probably the single most important thing that helps to keep me stay motivated is to somehow hold myself accountable. If I know that there is something I really want or need to accomplish, I will usually let at least one person know what it is that I want to accomplish. ( even better if you share your goal with two people) For myself, I will usually tell either my Mom or my Sister or therapist or one of my best friends. Say for example I decide that I want to take up singing lessons. I will casually mention this while talking with my Mom on the phone. And let’s say that a month goes by, and I still don’t take the initiative to start singing lessons. I guarantee you that it will come up again in conversation, and that will most likely motivate me to start taking those singing lessons! Even though someone else is helping and encouraging you to complete a task, it’s still an effective way to stay motivated. Just make sure whoever you share your goal with is persistent, and someone who just won’t take no for an

     Maybe try rewarding yourself… If you have a chore you need to complete, but can’t seem to stay motivated, try rewarding yourself. Sort of similar to when we’re training a puppy, right? For example, while writing this presentation, I did stop a couple of times and fixed myself a nice cup of coffee. And of course, to grab a piece of chocolate. Those were my rewards while completing my work. Or, you could work for 30 minutes, and then check your messages or social media. Finally when you complete your project or chore, be sure to make time and allow yourself to go out with friends later in the day. This is important, as this a great way to make sure you’re not isolating and spending too much time at home. 

      And finally, If you are someone who struggles with motivation, remember that everyone will have different ways of motivating themselves. There truly is no wright or wrong way. Try not to be too self-critical or hard on yourself. Try different things that work for you, and remember to ask for help if you need it.