For many of us the hardest challenge is to stay motivated and inspired on a daily basis. I think we all have good intentions of being our happiest and healthiest but often life gets in the way. We often focus on our busy schedule, stresses, get side tracked, and put off our health. We have to remember that if we don’t have our health nothing else matters. Honestly, it is selfish to not consider our health because it affects not just us but our family and others in our life.
So you may be wondering how I stay motivated and inspired. I am here to offer some solid advice on how to keep driven and focused on a daily basis. The first step is recognizing your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to motivation. When do you find yourself motivated most? Is it every day all day, once a day, once a month, once a year, or never? Do you find that you are usually motivated in the mornings or at night? Do you find yourself being motivated after visually watching something motivating, hearing, listening, or thinking motivating thoughts?
Not everyone is the same; we are all wired very differently. You have to find what motivates you individually. I can offer my personal motivation tips but when it comes down to it, you have to find what works for you! I personally get motivated in various ways. The first way is by being visually motivated. I love using Pinterest for example to look at motivational pictures and ideas when it comes to fitness. I love looking at before and after pictures. It gives me hope and determination that if someone else can achieve their fitness goals, I can too. Pinterest is very easy to use and you can create different motivational boards. I personally have a board for all different areas in my life including fitness, my career, dreams, beauty, style, and things I love.
My friends and family also know how to motivate me. This also takes action on my part though. I choose to be around friends that are like-minded. My friend Amanda loves to workout and rarely misses a day at the gym. She encourages me to workout and eat healthy daily. She also posts motivational pictures of herself and her results on her Instagram page weekly. Looking at where Amanda was and where she is now motivates me very much. She is also a disciplined individual when it comes to when she eats and what she eats and inspires me to be a healthier person. It has been said and it is true that you are most like the five people you hang around with most. It is very important to choose people in your life who have common goals and encourage you to live your dreams.
I also get motivated by reading various success stories. I will often just look up success stories on weight loss, muscle building, and various stories of personal success. It encourages me to see others who have succeeded, gives me tips, and keeps pushing me on my own journey. Another motivational idea is to become someone else’s mentor. When you know someone else is watching what you do, it motivates you even more to be the person you were meant to be. It motivates you to be the best person you can be physically and mentally. I know I personally love to pour my knowledge into other’s lives and set a good example in everything that I do.
Stepping out of your comfort zone can also motivate you. I recently signed up for various physical events I thought I would never do. When you sign up for a race, even if it’s just a 5K, you are making a commitment to yourself to do something physical. When you can commit to future races or events it gives you a goal to work toward and pushes you to work harder. To get even more motivated, try encouraging a friend to sign up for a race or event with you. Two is better than one and it can often be fun to encourage each other and get healthy together. I know some of my best gym times were when I was working out with a friend.
Rewards are also another incentive for motivation! I often tell myself if I go to the gym a certain number of times this week I will reward myself. Sometimes my reward includes buying myself ice cream on my cheat day or buying a new dress. I find it’s often more productive for your body and mind to reward yourself with clothes or a vacation instead of sugar. It is important to be rewarded for your hard work even if those rewards come from yourself. I have learned that if you don’t first love yourself and give back to yourself it will be hard for anyone else to.
Lastly, a motivational factor can be a break up. I recently had a break up and it hurt badly. I realized I could use this break up to literally break me or make me better. I turned my hurt and frustration into something positive. I have been going to the gym and eating healthy daily. I have already had many compliments and was told I was inspiring others. I think the best revenge when it comes to break ups is success. The ultimate success is looking and feeling your best. When we get our mind off of our problems and on to positive changes, life has a way of turning around. I am already so much happier being single and healthy then I was in a relationship. I know in my next relationship I will stay committed to being motivated, healthy, happy, and living my best life. Sometimes we tend to lose ourselves in relationships and only focus on the other person, which is exactly what I did.
I encourage you to keep yourself motivated and inspired. Work hard in the gym and remember you can feel sore tomorrow or you can feel sorry tomorrow. Keep yourself healthy and make it a priority to be the best person you can be. The battle often starts in our minds but the good news is that it can be overcome! Keep pressing on and live up to all you were meant to be!
